Victorian Liberal Party mistakenly declares member dead; member considers joining One Nation
Consensus Summary
John Ternel, a former Victorian Liberal Party member, became the center of controversy after the party mistakenly sent a mass email declaring him deceased following his resignation. The email, sent on May 14, 2026, included condolences to his family and was quickly retracted with an apology for the 'system error.' Ternel, who had twice unsuccessfully sought preselection as a Liberal candidate, expressed disillusionment with the party's direction and is now considering joining One Nation. The incident has highlighted broader dissatisfaction within the Liberal Party, with multiple members resigning, including Maria Kerr, a former candidate and Brimbank Council Deputy Mayor. One Nation, capitalizing on the Liberal Party's struggles, plans to run candidates in every Victorian seat during the November election, signaling a potential shift in conservative politics. The episode underscores internal chaos within the Liberal Party, with members criticizing its administration, candidate selection process, and perceived neglect of suburban areas.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- John Ternel resigned from the Victorian Liberal Party after twice applying for preselection (Bruce federal seat in 2025 and Narre Warren North state seat in 2026) and not being selected.
- The Victorian Liberal Party sent a mass email on 2026-05-14 with the subject line 'Deceased Member,' falsely stating John Ternel had died and was no longer a member of the Narre Warren / Endeavour Hills Branch.
- The email included the text: 'We have been informed that Mr John Ternel has sadly passed away and is no longer a member of the Narre Warren / Endeavour Hills Branch, Narre Warren North SEC, Bruce FEC. Our deepest condolences go out to John's family.'
- The Victorian Liberal Party issued a 'Correction Notice' and apologized to John Ternel for the 'system error' two hours after sending the email.
- John Ternel is now considering joining One Nation after the incident and expressed disillusionment with the Liberal Party's direction.
- Michael Piastrino, a former Liberal candidate turned One Nation member, posted on John Ternel's Facebook page: 'Your orange tshirt is waiting for you.'
- One Nation plans to run candidates in every seat at the Victorian election in November 2026.
- Maria Kerr, Brimbank Council Deputy Mayor and former Liberal candidate, resigned from the Liberal Party last week, citing disillusionment with the party's direction and administration.
- Six members quit the Narre Warren branch at the same time as John Ternel.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- John Ternel received strange phone calls after resigning, with people asking, 'Are you alive?'
- One recipient of the email responded with a Mark Twain reference: 'To misquote Twain, the report of John's death is an exaggeration.'
- Maria Kerr stated that 90 out of 100 members at the St Albans branch would allow memberships to lapse due to the party's neglect of the west.
- Maria Kerr mentioned that the Liberal Party's Nepean by-election result was misleading, with a 10% swing against them and One Nation securing 25% of the vote.
- Maria Kerr compared the Liberal Party's administration to 'Fawlty Towers' due to its chaotic state.
- Maria Kerr is considering joining One Nation or other minor parties after resigning from the Liberals.
- John Ternel received over 20 phone calls from Liberal members in 24 hours asking about One Nation.
- Maria Kerr said the Liberal Party is understaffed and reactive rather than proactive.
- Maria Kerr highlighted issues with how women are being treated in the party.
- John Ternel posted on Facebook: 'Reports of my death, following my resignation from the Liberal Party, are not true.'
- John Ternel has lived in Casey City for about five decades.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The ABC states that Maria Kerr resigned from the Liberal Party last week, while NEWSCOMAU does not mention her resignation or any details about her.
Source Articles
The Liberals said John was dead, but he's considering a new political life
When John Ternel quit the Victorian Liberal Party this week the party mistakenly sent an email to members saying he had died. Mr Ternel says the ordeal confirmed to him that the Victorian Liberals are in shambles.
Ex-Lib breaks silence after bizarre email fail
The Victorian Liberal Party has been forced to make a U-turn after falsely announcing the death of an ex-member – who now may defect to One Nation.