Eric Abetz behind push to dump moderate Liberals, including Bridget Archer, party sources say

Veteran adviser criticises Tasmanian rightwing powerbroker's factional warfare' to blast Bridget out of the party'

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Moderate-leaning Liberals in Tasmania, including the prominent federal MP Bridget Archer, are staring down a challenge from the state's conservative faction ahead of the next federal election, which party sources say is being driven by the former senator and rightwing powerbroker Eric Abetz.

Multiple sources say Archer's seat of Bass and Richard Colbeck's Senate seat are under threat by conservative up-and-comers as part of a push that would disrupt the factional balance of the state's federal representatives in parliament.

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