Australians have woken with a hangover. Whether from the resounding Labor win or the crushing Liberal defeat, it’s likely heads are sore this week.

The post-election analyses have begun. Commentators offering their takes, both insightful and absurd. In truth, the reasons for the loss lie close to home and they’ve been aptly pointed out by sharper observers than me. So, I’ll keep it brief.

For years, I’ve carried the Liberal Party’s We Believe statement in my wallet. Why? Because it reminds me of the founding beliefs and values: individual freedom, personal responsibility, enterprise, and limited government. It’s been a great conversation starter but more importantly, it’s been an anchor. It wouldn’t hurt for those shaping the party’s direction to dig it out over coming weeks and have a read.

Australia is facing unprecedented challenges. Attacks on freedom of speech. Woke ideology creeping into schools and institutions. A self-inflicted energy crisis. Oppressive cost of living pressures. Suppression of scientific debate on climate and health. An assault on biological reality dressed as progress.

In short, we’re living in a country many of us barely recognise from only a decade ago. And yet, at a time when Australians are yearning for courage, conviction and clarity, we offered caution and compromise.

This is not the time to be shy about who we are. Nor should we allow external or internal forces to ‘vanillarise’ the Liberal Party message into something unrecognisable. We are the party of Menzies. Of freedom. Of personal responsibility. Of common sense.

It’s time to reclaim the Menzies legacy. Time to stop apologising for our beliefs. Time to speak the truth with courage.

As Senator Alex Antic so aptly put it, it’s time to ‘make the Liberal Party great again’.

And, dare I say, time to make Australia great again.

Dr Julie Sladden is a (retired) medical doctor, Local Government Councillor and former Adviser.