Explosive Leak: Former NSW Premier Warns Liberals of Backlash Over Election Review Burial

Former New South Wales Premier Nick Greiner has warned the Liberal federal executive that burying a review of the party's catastrophic 2025 election defeat could spark backlash from party members and the media, exposing further internal divisions over the move.

As details of the confidential report begin to leak - despite the decision to keep them secret - Guardian Australia can reveal that Greiner raised concerns about suppressing the report during Friday's meeting of the party's top decision-making body.

The election defeat review had been commissioned by the party to analyze the reasons behind their devastating loss, but its findings have become a source of internal controversy. Peter Dutton, the former party leader, and his chief-of-staff were reportedly unhappy with some of the conclusions drawn about their roles, leading to the push to permanently bury the document.

However, Greiner, who served as NSW Premier from 1988 to 1992, warned that keeping the review under wraps could backfire and lead to further damaging leaks and party infighting. He argued that transparency and addressing the lessons of the loss would be better for the party in the long run.

The revelation of Greiner's intervention highlights the deep divisions within the Liberal Party over how to handle the fallout from their devastating 2025 election defeat. While some party powerbrokers seek to bury the report and move on, others believe confronting the issues raised is crucial for the party's future recovery and renewal.

As the battle over the review's fate continues, the Liberal Party faces the challenge of uniting its factions and regaining the trust of Australian voters ahead of the next federal election.