Dutton Confirms Exit, Prefers Not to Weigh in on Liberal Party’s Future

Queensland MP Colin Boyce has called on Nationals leader David Littleproud to step aside for another leadership vote.

Former federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton concedes defeat in Brisbane, Australia, on May 03, 2025. Dan Peled/Getty Images

Peter Dutton has confirmed his exit from politics, saying the Liberal Party must begin its reconstruction after its crushing loss in the 2025 federal election.

When approached by reporters at Canberra Airport on May 7, the outgoing opposition leader said, “I’ve spoken with my colleagues—the Liberal Party rebuilds from here, and that’s how it should be.”

Pressed about his future role, Dutton was candid.

“The best model I’ve seen is where former leaders exit politics with grace and maintain silence—that will be my approach.”

The former opposition leader, who held the defence and home affairs portfolios, had largely stayed out of the public eye after losing his Queensland seat of Dickson to Labor’s Ali France on May 3.

The defeat marked the first time a Liberal opposition leader failed to retain their seat since the party’s formation.

Following one the election loss, the Liberal Party is now confronting long-standing divisions between its conservative and moderate wings.

While many senior figures blamed a vague economic agenda for the defeat, conservative Senator Alex Antic suggested internal sabotage played a role in Dutton’s downfall.

“I think there are people inside the party that didn’t want Peter to become prime minister,” Antic told media, implying that factional interference undermined the campaign from within.

Nationals MP Pushes for Leadership Vote, Littleproud Stands by Nuclear

In the Nationals camp, Queensland MP Colin Boyce has publicly called on party leader David Littleproud to stand aside for a renewed vote on the party’s leadership.

“It is traditional that after every election cycle, all positions become vacant—and that will happen,” Boyce said.

Some within the Coalition are attributing their poor performance to the nuclear energy platform, but David Littleproud rejected that notion.

The Nationals leader said Tim Wilson’s win in Goldstein showed nuclear was popular and that the policy wasn’t electorally damaging.

“The suggestion that nuclear cost us the election is false,” he said. “It’s actually $263 billion cheaper than a renewables-only plan.”

Littleproud also took aim at the Greens, particularly leader Adam Bandt, who is very likely to lose his Melbourne seat to Labor’s Sarah Witty.

“The electorate has seen through the Greens—they’re not the tree-huggers they once appeared to be,” he told the ABC.

He accused the Greens of politicising international conflicts and pushing extremist views.

“Their leader wouldn’t even stand before the Australian flag. They’ve aligned with the CFMEU and they’re clearly out of step with the broader community,” he said.

“The voters have now held them to account.”