Former senior NSW Liberal figure Matthew Camenzuli has launched a stinging attack on Alex Hawke, accusing him of driving destructive factionalism and linking his political manoeuvring to personal and factional interests rather than the national good.
A senior Liberal, Alex Hawke, the manager of opposition business, has rejected Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s accusations that he engaged in “cowardly and inappropriate behaviour” and has publicly called on her to apologise for the “ongoing harm” caused by her remarks about Indian migrants. Hawke said he rang her office after her ABC interview, where she claimed the government was bringing in “large numbers” of Indian migrants because they voted Labor, and later told Sky News: “I had the guts to ring her and say, ‘I think you’ve got a problem and I think you should apologise to the community.’”
“It is time we talk about Alex Hawke and his Indian connection,” Camenzuli said, framing the recent controversy around Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s migration comments as part of a deeper problem. He argued that Hawke’s demand for Price to apologise was “not about good politics… it’s desperation.”
According to Camenzuli, Price’s willingness to stand her ground has exposed a party already fractured. “Either way, the Liberal Party is caught in no man’s land, as an often silent but sometimes public brutal factional war rages between two forces. It is far from being the principled party of Menzies. It’s not the party of Howard, of Abbott, or even of Turnbull. Not anymore.”
He accused the party under Sussan Ley of being weak in opposition. “Under Ley, the party is more of a Teal apologist organisation. It is so incapable of opposition, many wonder why it still officially holds the space at all.”
Camenzuli contrasted what he described as Hawke’s “lobbyist left” machine with conservatives who, in his view, remain closer to Liberal traditions. “Those that want to see a return to a party focused on small government, lower taxes, individual initiative, farmers, and small business. They’re not owned by lobbyist forces, and don’t genuflect to the latest identity politics driven brain fart.”
He argued that Hawke has long been surrounded by controversy. “From his splitting of the right of the party, to his constant messing in pre-selections, and his obsessive control over the NSW division. The Hawke faction never seemed to have any qualms doing bad things to good people.”
In his statement, Camenzuli alleged that Hawke’s machine is driven by “lobbyists, vested interests and careerists,” including migration agents and energy interests. He even referenced a Four Corners program that examined links between Indian political actors and Australian politics, saying: “They produced an episode titled ‘Infiltrating Australia—India’s secret war’ focused on India’s influence on the Australian political landscape.”
Camenzuli stressed that this should not be read as an attack on the Indian community. “Of course, this does not mean all people of Indian descent are infiltrators, or that they are not welcome in this country. It does not mean that Australia should not have a sensible migration program, or any of the rest.”
Instead, he argued that migration must be addressed through the lens of national interest. “At this time in the midst of a housing crisis, and a slowing economy, where access to services is becoming harder and harder, surely the Liberal party must sensibly prosecute a case to curb our intake. It is in the national interest, getting somewhere to live is becoming neigh on impossible and common courtesy dictates that rapidly adding more bodies needing even more homes is just bad manners.”
For Camenzuli, the core issue is leadership and principle. “Too many talentless, feckless and inauthentic people have been placed into parliament by a captured organisation, and now there is little leadership, vision or talent more capable than Hawke himself. Which is not very capable at all.”
He closed with a stark warning for the Liberals. “They will not provide an opposition or govern ‘til the war is resolved, and people of principle—not vapid spivs or lobbyist aligned hacks—are back in charge of the organisation. And when they are, they must clean out the rot root and branch. If they don’t it is entirely possible, the Liberals wipe themselves off the map.”
Camenzuli said the country urgently needs a functioning opposition. “Whatever happens, we desperately need an opposition in this country and fast, so we can have some hope. We need an authentic opposition to drag Australia out of the funk. It’s been a very long time. I just want Australia back.”
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