The Coalition’s political staff faced a notably challenging week as their standing in opinion polls remains weak and internal morale appears low. Several senior figures, including Angus Taylor and Matt Canavan, have struggled to mount effective opposition against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government, while Pauline Hanson and her One Nation party continue to attract attention with high-profile fundraising efforts.
On Friday, around a dozen Coalition staffers attended a training session conducted by the McKinnon Institute, a political leadership development organization. The participants were reportedly encouraged to engage in group exercises involving eye contact and clapping, a setup that one insider compared to scenes from the British political satire "The Thick of It." Some attendees reportedly left the session midway, reflecting the broader sense of frustration among the team.
The difficulties faced by Coalition members were further underscored by the annual “business exchange,” a key fundraising event for the Liberal Party. Traditionally held at Canberra’s five-star Hyatt, this year’s gathering took place at the more modest Rydges hotel, with noticeably fewer industry leaders attending. According to a participant, the event’s reduced scale and lower turnout contributed to a somber atmosphere.
Throughout 2026, the Coalition has trailed the Albanese government in polls and experienced pressure from Hanson’s One Nation, who have attracted significant media attention and donor support. One Nation has hosted lavish events, including expensive dinners, $15,000-a-person flights on a plane gifted by mining magnate Gina Rinehart, and private yacht trips in Sydney Harbour. In contrast, the Liberal Party continues to raise funds through its “Australian Business Network,” involving paid membership tiers that can reach $30,000 annually. Federal director Lincoln Folo has been working to bolster the party’s finances in preparation for the next federal election.
Alongside the business exchange, Liberal attendees participated in a series of briefings with members of the shadow ministry and gatherings with key party figures, including a dinner featuring former Prime Minister and current Liberal federal president Tony Abbott. Abbott delivered a passionate address during the event. Shadow ministers praised his leadership, though some awkwardness arose when Abbott himself reminded the group of his past tenure as Prime Minister at a subsequent lunch.
Despite setbacks, some Liberal sources expressed cautious optimism following a targeted political initiative by party member Andrew Hastie aimed at countering Hanson’s influence. “They believe they’ve stemmed the bleeding,” one insider noted. “They’ve still got a pulse.”
In a separate development, Chinese-Australian stock trader Andy Wenlein Song has been removed from a high-profile U.S. insider trading lawsuit that initially implicated him among dozens of defendants. The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York, alleges traders exploited Chinese regulatory inside information to generate approximately $100 million in profits. While Song had been named early on, his legal team successfully petitioned to unfreeze his brokerage account due to the relatively small amount involved and substantial funds held therein.
More recently, the lead plaintiffs, including Jeff Yass’s Susquehanna and Ken Griffin’s Citadel Securities, have voluntarily dismissed claims against Song and six other individuals without prejudice, although no explanation was provided. The broader case has seen the number of anonymous “John Doe” defendants decrease from 100 to 45.
Song, known primarily for his real estate investments—including the 2017 purchase of a seven-bedroom mansion in Point Piper for nearly $61 million—has not publicly commented on the case despite multiple requests.