Name: Paul Kelly on the Coalition Years
Start: 2026-07-21T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2026-07-21T00:00:00.000Z
Location: The Wheeler Centre

Is this the end of the Liberal Party? Paul Kelly, veteran political commentator and Editor-At-Large of The Australian, unpacks the crisis facing the centre right, 20 years in the making.

Public support for the Liberal Party has collapsed in Australia, leaving it facing a crisis that is unique in its 80-year history. With a new leader in place, can the Liberals combat the rise of One Nation and win back the city voters that have abandoned the party?

In his new book The Twilight of Exceptionalism, Paul Kelly tracks where it all went wrong, charting the most turbulent era of Liberal politics under the leadership of Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison and offering an incisive assessment of how the Liberal Party lost its way.

Join Kelly for a timely edition of The Fifth Estate, as he breaks down the intellectual, cultural and political crisis that has brought the Liberal Party to breaking point and argues why Liberal policymakers must embrace pragmatism over polarisation to offer a credible opposition to Labor. With host Sally Warhaft.

Event and Ticketing Details

Dates & Times

Tuesday 21 July

6.30 - 7.30pm

Tickets

$25.50

Full

$19.50

Concession

$19.50

Under 30

Groups 6+ and Members get standard 10% discount across all reserves.
For more information on Memberships, click here.

Location

The Wheeler Centre

176 Little Lonsdale Street Melbourne Victoria 3000

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Accessibility

Accessible toilets available

Assistive Listening

Auslan interpreting available by-request

Companion tickets available

Registered Assistance Animals welcome

Wheelchair accessible

For information regarding accessibility at The Wheeler Centre, 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 Kelly will be signing books after the event.

The bookseller for this event is Readings.

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 ...

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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 ...