As he departed, Bernardi argued that the governing Liberals "bled" votes to the anti-immigration One Nation party owing to neglect of the party's conservative base by centrists leading the government. With the election of four One Nation senators in last year's election and strong polling ahead of key state elections, the precarious centre-right government of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull may face a renewed electoral threat from the far right.
Australian prime ministers of all stripes will struggle to implement climate-friendly energy policy in the face of conservative pressure.
The growth of non-major parties could empower localist opposition to foreign ownership of Australian assets, such as ports and farmland.
US President Donald Trump's back-tracking on Australia's refugee resettlement deal could undercut Turnbull's position domestically.
