Partners
Political journalists Paul Kelly and Sean Kelly discuss where it all went wrong for conservative politics at a special event live in Bendigo.
Since the 2025 federal election, the Liberal party has been in disarray, beset by a demoralised base, two Coalition splits from the Nationals, bitter party infighting and the serious threat of One Nation. How did it come to this?
In this edition of The Fifth Estate, Editor-at-Large of The Australian Paul Kelly (The Twilight of Exceptionalism) and award-winning columnist and former Labor advisor Sean Kelly (The Game) come together with host Sally Warhaft to discuss the fractures at the heart of conservative politics in Australia and what they mean for the upcoming Victorian election.
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from two of the country’s most prominent political commentators as they analyse how conservative politics lost its way – and what it would take for the Coalition to win back the trust of Australian voters.
Presented in partnership with Goldfields Libraries and supported by City of Greater Bendigo
Event and Ticketing Details
Dates & Times
Wednesday 22 July
6.00 - 7.00pm
Tickets
$20.00
Champion
$15.00
Fair share
$12.00
Community
$10.00
Accessible
$5.00
Supported
Ticketing for this event is managed by our partners at Goldfields Libraries. They offer a 'Pay As You Can' option and you can select your prefered ticketing price when booking.
Location
Accessibility
Accessible toilets available
Assistive Listening
Companion tickets available
Registered Assistance Animals welcome
Wheelchair accessible
For information regarding accessibility at Ulumbarra Theatre, click here.
Please notify us of all access requirements when booking online so we can assist you with your visit. If you require further information, please contact ticketing@wheelercentre.com.
Additional Notes
Paul and Sean Kelly will be signing books after the event.
The bookseller for this event is Bookish Bendigo.
Melbourne was designated the world’s second UNESCO City of Literature in 2008. As part of this global network, we strive to support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, a set of 17 goals designed to promote fairness, health and environmental sustainability worldwide.
This event addresses Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
Featuring
Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly is editor-at-large and a former editor-in-chief of The Australian. He writes on Australian politics, policy, history and international relations, and has covered every prime minister from Gough Whitlam to ...
Sean Kelly
Sean Kelly is the author of The Game: A Portrait of Scott Morrison, for which he was a Walkley finalist in 2022. In 2024 he was a finalist for the Walkley Foundation's Freelance Journalist of the Year and in 2023 he ...
Sally Warhaft
Sally Warhaft is a Melbourne broadcaster, anthropologist and writer. She is the host of The Fifth Estate, the Wheeler Centre’s live series focusing on journalism, politics, media, and international relations, and The Leap ...