Colleen Harkin Resigns from Victorian Liberal Party, Set to Join One Nation

Colleen Harkin, a Victorian Liberal Party member and education director at the Institute of Public Affairs, has resigned from the party amid a potential expulsion process over her attendance at a One Nation fundraiser.

"The ON movement is real."

Timeline and Context

Harkin attended a One Nation fundraiser in South Melbourne on June 12. Liberal state president Brian Loughnane subsequently asked her to explain her presence at the event.

A motion condemning her support for a rival political organization was drafted ahead of an administrative committee meeting scheduled for Monday.

Harkin formally resigned from the Liberal Party on Sunday. She sent a note apologizing for her absence from the upcoming meeting, acknowledging that she attended the event and stating that "the ON movement is real."

Harkin confirmed she would join One Nation and is considering standing as a candidate for that party at the upcoming Victorian election.

Statement and Reactions

In an email to Liberal members, Harkin stated that the party has lost sight of its principles and that she can no longer support it.

Opposition Leader Jess Wilson commented: "Volunteers come and go."

Former opposition leader Michael O'Brien stated that the decision "shows the loyalty of that person."

Background on Colleen Harkin

• Joined the Liberal Party in 2020
• Ran as the Liberal candidate for the federal seat of Macnamara in 2022
• Has stood as a candidate in multiple previous elections without success
• Was a supporter of MP Moira Deeming
• Served as the lead plaintiff in a Supreme Court challenge regarding party funds, specifically involving a loan to then-leader John Pesutto