Opposition Leader Sussan Ley outlining her priorities at the National Press Club. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Sussan Ley has done what her predecessor Peter Dutton wouldn’t and has fronted the National Press Club as Opposition Leader.
The first woman ever to be elected leader of the federal Liberal Party (and the first female Opposition Leader) announced on Wednesday (25 June) another review of the party following its devastating election loss in May.
That poll saw Mr Dutton lose his own seat as well as the whole election as Australia rejected his divisive and rightwing policies.
Me Ley used her press club appearance to flag a new leadership style, saying she was prepared to work with Labor and the Federal Government on some issues while insisting she won’t compromise on what she believes is best for Australia.
“If there is a place to be constructive, then we’ll be. If there’s something that comes before the parliament that is deserving of criticism, we won’t hesitate,” she said.
“There are times when we do need to be constructive and you’ll see that from me.”
Another point of difference between Ms Ley and Mr Dutton is her attitude towards the public service.
Maybe it’s because the Coalition’s public service bashing was also roundly rejected at the federal poll, but Ms Ley talked of her “deep respect” for the APS, going back to her days working in the Australian Taxation Office.
“It reinforced my view that economic management must be responsible, practical and always focused on delivering value to the taxpayer,” she said.
“It also reinforced something I learned as the child of an intelligence officer – a deep and abiding respect for the public service.
“That is part of my story too.”
Also part of her story was a personal history that included being affected by coercive control.
While she didn’t expand on it, even when asked about it during the Q&A after her speech, Ms Ley said tackling domestic violence would remain high on her priority list.
“I understand the fear you feel when you go for a walk alone, because I have felt that fear too,” she said.
“I understand the pain that comes with coercion and control because I have felt that pain too…
“Many women in our communities and in the rooms that we walk in have told me their personal stories and I’ve identified with them.”
Encouraging more women to join the Liberal Party and to vote for it is also a focus of the new leader.
She said she wouldn’t flinch from her aim to get more women preselected and into the Federal Parliament.
“This is a different era. I have a different tone, a different team and different priorities,” Ms Ley said.
“The priority that I have articulated very strongly today around women is one that I will not take a backwards step from.”
Women deserted the party at the election, but so did male voters and the young in large numbers.
“Let’s be honest and up front about last month’s election. We didn’t just lose. We got smashed. Totally smashed,” Ms Ley said.
“What we as the Liberal Party presented to the Australian people was comprehensively rejected.
“The scale of that defeat, its size and significance, is not lost on me, nor on any one of my parliamentary team sitting here today.
“It was devastating for our parliamentary colleagues, party members, supporters and voters across the country…
“One of my great mentors, former Prime Minister John Howard, often said about elections that ‘the Australian people always get it right’ and I agree with him.
“The Australian people need a strong and effective alternative to vote for at the next election.
“Our first step is to listen, so we properly understand how we can improve.”
To that end, the party’s policies are all on the table for review, except for the areas already agreed on with the Nationals.
Liberal Party stalwarts Pru Goward and Nick Minchin will head a “root and branch” review of the party that Ms Ley says will be “frank and fearless … ensuring a thorough and honest assessment of what went wrong and how we can fix it”.
“I believe there is a need for the party as a whole to have a deeper look at the existential issues we face, how our divisional constitutions operate and how we can better serve, support and most importantly grow our membership.”
Her top priority areas for this term of parliament are: good policy over energy and emissions reduction; increasing defence spending; domestic violence; protecting young children from the harms of social media; and having a credible alternative agenda for “ambitious” Australians.
Original Article published by Chris Johnson on Region Canberra.
