The mining magnate together with conservative firebrand Cory Bernardi met Trump's team, sparking fears of a political split bankrolled by Ms Rinehart, The Australian reported.
But Senator Bernardi was quick to dismiss suggestions he had any plans in motion to leave the Liberals, claiming it was all gossip.
Australia's political climate could be on the brink of a shake-up after billionaire Gina Rinehart met with key members of US President Elect Donald Trump's team.
The mining magnate together with conservative firebrand Cory Bernardi met Trump's team, sparking fears of a political split bankrolled by Ms Rinehart, The Australian reported.
But Senator Bernardi was quick to dismiss suggestions he had any plans in motion to leave the Liberals, claiming it was all gossip.
He spoke out publicly against his government's handling of climate policies and also its consideration of an emissions intensity scheme for power generators.
Last week he also said the major political parties were drifting apart from their voters.
'We will have to wait and see if it works or whether the erosion of faith has gone too far for the current system to be restored,' he wrote.
The senator set up the Australian Conservatives movement after the July federation election to rival the left-wing protest and campaign group GetUp.
The conservative group have since revealed more than 60,000 Australians signed up to its mailing list.
It also said Australians should expect significant change in 2017, promising 'a number of important campaigns'.
Former prime minister Tony Abbott backed Senator Bernardi's conservative movement in a tweet posted on Thursday.
'It's best for the Australian people to have a strong, cohesive and sound Liberal Party,' he said.
Nationals MP George Christensen also sparked rumours of a split from his party.
He said satisfaction with democracy was at an all-time low and hoped 2017 'heralds a new way of doing things for the Turnbull government and for politics in general'.
He said he had been urged to 'pull the pin on the government and go with another entity', but confirmed his allegiance to the National Party in a Facebook post on Thursday.
'I am loyal to Barnaby Joyce, loyal to the Nationals, and - most of all - loyal to local LNP members who selected me to be their candidate,' he said.
'What the Turnbull government needs to do is start being more loyal to the voters and the party members who sent us here or there will come a time when remaining inside the tent is no longer tenable to my conscience or my voters.'
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