McKenzie: Conservatives in 'war' against leftwing globalists

Senator Bridget McKenzie, the Nationals' Senate leader, told the inaugural CPAC GB in London on Saturday that conservatives worldwide are locked in a struggle against leftwing globalists, mass immigration, and woke institutions. She urged right-leaning movements to professionalize and unite to defeat what she called a 'real, dangerous' opponent. The event, a British offshoot of the influential US Conservative Political Action Conference, also featured One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and was chaired by former UK prime minister Liz Truss.

Immigration and Values

McKenzie focused heavily on Australia's immigration program, criticizing the federal Labor government's projected arrivals. She argued that Australia should be more selective, not on race but on values. 'If you believe sharia laws are superior to the laws that my great country inherited from yours, then I’m afraid Australia is not the place for you,' she said. The senator framed these issues as part of a broader ideological struggle, claiming a global effort 'to undermine the very best of our British heritage by leftwing globalists,' whom she described as well-funded, disciplined, and relentless.

A Call to Arms

McKenzie described the opponent as well-funded and disciplined, arguing that conservatives' Christian values are being exploited. 'We need to professionalise, because our opponent is real, dangerous and wants to destroy us,' she said. 'Do not mistake. We are in a war and we have to stand together and fight.' She called for bravery in public conversations and urged leaders to be 'brave enough to face the enemy, strong enough to fight them, and in the end, we will defeat them.'

Domestic Grievances

McKenzie also claimed Australians were not consulted on key social and environmental policies. 'Nobody asked Australians if they agreed that a man could be a woman; asked them whether it was OK for men to compete in women’s sports, to be housed in women’s prisons,' she said. She similarly argued that net-zero energy policies were implemented without public consent, trashing private property rights through renewable projects on farmland.

Broader Context

On the panel chaired by Liz Truss, McKenzie argued that Australia has become 'the most woke' country in the Anglosphere and accused successive governments of undermining national sovereignty through high immigration, net-zero policies, and decisions by unelected bodies. The conference highlights growing transnational ties among populist right movements, with implications for upcoming elections in Australia and elsewhere. Hanson also attended the event, part of a British tour that drew sustained criticism at home.