Australian senator, who is Trump supporter, to start new conservative party

"Good luck to him."

He'll need it. This guy sounds like part of a lunatic fringe to me.

@Fizzbit, i'm not sure Australians mind having less guns on the streets. Gun related deaths are only 10% of what the USA is. Also their economy is in a much better place than the USA.

Make Australia Great Again? Australia has had a few decades of uninterrupted growth and is the envy of most of the world with its stability, economy, and way of life. This moron is not only a traitor but is deliberately attempting to bring this global populist cancer to Australia for his own benefit. His crimes won't be forgotten

@goldorak: Good points and I agree that Aus has always had different politics than the northern hemisphere, but to imply that Australia needs fixing to make it "great again" is deeply insulting and actually suspicious at what his intentions are, seeing that aussies live in by far the best period in its entire history. All it is is a desperate attempt to capitalise on the global populist wave by jumping on the bandwagon like a weak coward, offering memetic gratification but no substance whatsoever. Unfortunately through Trump and the Euros, this non-Australian's garbage is now legitimised

"Appeal to disenfranchised conservatives " should read "appeal to the loonie right". Just another wack job, and will be forgotten soon enough.

"He was demoted from a senior party position in 2012 for suggesting legal recognition for gay marriage could lead to legalization of bestiality and polygamy, offending many same-sex marriage advocates."

Says a lot about the bloke.

@dcog, agree with you, trying to pretend Oz needs to be 'fixed' the same way Europe, the US, Japan etc do is a tough sell, good luck with that bernardi! Not saying Oz is perfect but imo most things work just fine, for most ppl (low unemployment, good healthcare system, growth etc). So yes we may need some tweaking here and there but definitely not a total overhaul.

One big difference, imo, between oz and Europe (or the us) is that there is already a certain amount of populism in oz politics (on both sides of politics) so there is no need for more. Different story in Europe or the us (to a lesser extent) where 'populists' or politicians who represent ordinary ppl/values/interests have been demonised, ridiculed and mocked for a long time, hence the Trump, farage, le pen and co who are unashamedly populist and proudly/demagogically represent 'the masses'.

No need for that in oz as populism has never been a dirty word or concept the way it has been in euro politics. Appealing to ordinary, working class ppl with different standards is accepted in oz politics. Much less elitism than in Europe. (A so called socialist like Hollande calling poor, ordinary ppl "toothless" is one of the many reasons 25% of the french now support le Pen. Hillary calling trumpists 'deplorables' didn't help either)

I want one of those doormats!

Bernardi wants to think he's the Donald Trump of Australia, but he's far closer to being the Ted Cruz. He has about the same lack of charisma, is about as well liked by his fellow politicians and will most like to prove just as successful...

"a desire to create strong families". Is he planning to outlaw divorce?

seeing that aussies live in by far the best period in its entire history.

Hmm, I wouldn't be so sure about that. The recent open immigration policy and acceptance of refugees has created a lot of social unrest within the communities and also created a lot more welfare recipients putting a lot more pressure on the economy. It is also causing a lot of anxiety among Australians. However, I do agree that, this guy is a total nutter and has very little support in Oz. I'm very surprised it is in the news in Japan.

Sounds like a standard right wing Aussie conservative to me. Use of the term "Trump supporter" to somehow imply he is bad seems a bit off to me.

"From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere!"

-- Theodor Geisel

Back on topic please.

I wish senators Bernardi and Xenophon would switch names, then the pro-Trumper would have a more fitting name. But then again, in Australia, the Liberals are conservative, and their summers are our winters.

Won't fly.

slowly but surely, citizens in the West are taking their culture back from the failed left. Ill be very interested to see how Bernardi is doing in a year or so.

I don't agree with the bestiality point, but he's right about polygamy (or polyandry, for that matter). If consenting adults of any gender can marry each other, why not consenting adults of any number?

I'll vote for Cory Bernardi's party. One man (Malcolm Turnbull) ego has destroyed Liberal Party unity and direction as well as previous good former elected PM Tony Abbott Coalition Government. Malcolm Turnbull's craving for Prime Minister Office has dived within Liberal Party. Malcolm Turnbull only wanted to be Prime Minister and he has no clue about how to governing country and manage country economy even though he was former merchant banker. Former elected PM Tony Abbott's far better in managing country economy and qualified for the job. The Coalition will lose election to Labor even though Australian peoples do not like Bill Shorten's records as Union boss. Cory Bernardi his divorce from Liberal Party was understandable and he was feed-up with Malcolm Turnbull's leadership. I believe the Cory Bernardi was last Liberal MP to quit Liberal party. Other Liberal MPs will quit Liberal Party and will enter election as independent because they will try to save their seats than loyal to Malcolm Turnbull if Malcolm Turnbull was still leader of Party in next election. Australian voters are enough and done with Malcolm Turnbull. He was one of three worst PMs of Australia in last decade. Malcolm Turnbull, Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd are worst Australia PMs of decade. I wish very best for Cory Bernardi and his Party future. I’m looking forward for vote his Party in next Election.

Good luck to him.

Fizzbitt is right about guns. Besides, long guns and shotguns are not the problem in either Australia or the US. Handguns are.

Trump is like an itch that liberals can't scratch until they rip their faces off.

The time has come To say fair's fair To pay the rent To pay our share

What choice do you have. They've taken your guns, the gov can do what they want. Oz wouldn't even be relevant without Chinese money via US money. At least someone has the vision to stop the globalists scheme.

Less guns on the streets? Do you really believe the criminals have less guns now? The only thing the gun law did was lessen the gun suicide rate. Gun violence was already in decline but never took a sharp drop after the gun law. If your citizens ever decided to have a revolution, they better have some good bow and arrows.