Deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop insists Malcolm Turnbull's speech about the Liberal party shouldn't antagonise colleagues.
The prime minister used an address in London to send a message to conservatives, saying Sir Robert Menzies deliberately positioned the Liberal party in the centre when he founded it in 1944.
Mr Turnbull citied Menzies' claim the party took the name Liberal because it was determined to be a progressive party.
"The sensible centre was the place to be. It remains the place to be," he said in his Disraeli lecture to the Policy Exchange think tank.
Former premier of Victoria criticized Mr Turnbull for his “sensible centre” statement, whilst former premier of NSW, Nick Greiner took swipe at the Liberal part Party because we has a problem with women and diversity.
Mr Turnbull’s comments come at a time of renewed tensions within the Liberal party as Tony Abbott again rears his head and vows to be a strong conservative voice.
Asked whether the speech should antagonise colleagues, Ms Bishop told ABC radio: "It shouldn't."
"It very eloquently articulates our values as the Liberal party," she said on Tuesday.
Ms Bishop said the tradition had continued in what John Howard called the party's "broad church" and in what Mr Abbott referred to as "the sensible centre".
Cabinet minister Josh Frydenberg pointed out to critics of Mr Turnbull's address that the party just celebrated the anniversary of Menzies' Forgotten People speech.
"He made it very clear in that address that we were a party that didn't represent big business and big money," he told Sky News.
Source: sbs.com.au/news
