Angus Taylor elected new Liberal Party leader, defeating Sussan Ley in leadership spill
Angus Taylor won the Liberal leadership in a party hall vote, promising to turn the opposition into a strong alternative after several months of record-low polling.
He won Friday morning’s leadership vote by 34 votes to 17 against Sussan Ley, who served as Liberal leader for nine months after being elected on the heels of the coalition’s disastrous election in May.
The difference was greater than anyone at the party could have thought a few days ago. Taylor becomes the 17th person to lead the federal Liberal Party.
Sen. James Paterson, the power broker guiding Taylor’s strategy, offered a scathing assessment of Ley’s leadership on Thursday.
“At the last election… almost 5 million Australians voted for us. They trusted us. According to the latest polls, 2.1 million of those people have left the Coalition in the last nine months,” Paterson said, admitting Ley had been dealt a bad hand.
“That’s more than 200,000 votes a month. More than 50,000 votes a week. More than 7,000 votes a day. This can’t go on. If it goes on like this, there will be nothing left of the Liberal Party by the next election.”
Taylor’s supporters have flagged a more conservative agenda, in contrast to Ley’s call for a shift to the centre.
More to come.
Paul Sakkal is the chief political correspondent. It has previously covered Victorian politics and won the Walkley and Quill awards. Reach him securely on Signal @paulsakkal.14Connect with: X or email.
Natassia Chrysanthos is a Federal Political Correspondent. He has previously reported on immigration, health, social issues and the NDIS from Parliament House in Canberra.Connect with: X or email.
