Liberal leadership aspirant Angus Taylor has quit Sussan Ley’s frontbench but not yet called for a spill. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Angus Taylor has finally done it and quit the Liberal Party’s frontbench, opening the way for a leadership spill he hopes will topple Sussan Ley.
Following weeks of speculation, and months of party infighting, the now former shadow defence minister told the Opposition Leader last night (11 February) he could no longer serve the party with her at the helm.
He then immediately told the media what he had done, although he has not yet declared an intention to call a spill or declare his candidacy for the party’s top job.
“I’ve sought to be a constructive member of the leadership team and supported Sussan Ley’s leadership in a difficult time when we needed a rebuild of the party,” he said.
“But we can’t mince words. The Liberal Party is at the worst position it has been since 1944, when the party was formed.
“That is a confronting reality and we cannot ignore it. We need to urgently restore confidence in the Liberal Party.
“I don’t believe Sussan Ley is in a position to be able to lead the party as it needs to be led from here.
“What we need right now is strong leadership, clear direction and a courageous focus on our values.”
Mr Taylor subsequently issued a statement saying he had advised Ms Ley he could no longer support her leadership.
“This is not a decision I take lightly. I remain committed to the Liberal Party, which has provided me the honour and privilege of serving it,” he said.
“In the period ahead, I will be consulting closely with colleagues about the future of our party, so it can once again be the party that Australians expect and deserve.”
Ms Ley has yet to make a public statement, but speculation is that she is leaving some space to allow other potential contenders to put their hands up for the leadership and thereby dilute Mr Taylor’s chances of winning.
Tasmanian Liberal frontbencher Claire Chandler followed Mr Taylor’s lead and resigned from the shadow ministry this morning (12 February).
She is the first of his supporters to quit the Opposition’s frontbench, with others expected to follow throughout the day.
But shadow attorney-general Andrew Wallace has publicly thrown his support behind Ms Ley and is scathing of the attack on her.
During media interviews Wednesday night and Thursday morning, Mr Wallace said certain members of the Liberal Party have been “trying to undermine Sussan since day one” and had not given her a proper chance to lead.
“To effectively knife the Liberal Party’s first female leader in under a year is simply, in my view, unacceptable,” he said.
“The anger is palpable against the Albanese government, but there is also anger directed at us.
“The anger that many Australians are feeling is understandable on both sides of the fence.”
Mr Wallace also expressed surprise that Mr Taylor had not called an immediate spill after his resignation, suggesting that he is not yet fully prepared for his next move.
“I think this, this leadership challenge, if it ends up being that, has been undercooked,” he said.
“I think it’s been unprepared, or ill-prepared. I think Susan has the numbers. I think that the majority of the party room believes that Susan hasn’t been given a fair go,
“I quite honestly believe that Sussan hasn’t been afforded a reasonable opportunity to succeed, and I want to back her in and make sure that she does, so that we can continue to take the fight up to Labor.
“Sussan, of course, is our first female leader. I think it sends a bad message to Australians.”
Disgruntled backbenchers Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Sarah Henderson have hit the airwaves to express their support for Mr Taylor and the need for a leadership change.
“All I know is when it comes to the top job, I will be backing Angus in,” Senator Nampijinpa Price said.
“He is the pair of steady hands that we need right now, that we’ve not had in the party room.
“He wouldn’t have submitted his resignation if he wasn’t confident he had the numbers to win.”
Senator Henderson also says Ms Ley is “done”.
“It is a very difficult time for the Liberal Party,” she said.
“This is not easy to change leaders, but at a primary vote of 18 per cent, it would wipe out most members in the House of Representatives, and we owe it to the Australian people to be a credible Opposition.
“We have been going backwards at a rate of knots and had a terrible election loss, but since then, we have abandoned all of our policies.”
Another disgruntled backbencher, Jane Hume, is reportedly intending to put he hand up for the deputy leadership.
A spill is being called for this morning.
Original Article published by Chris Johnson on Region Canberra.
