‘Ridiculous’: Ley rubbishes rumoured leadership threat
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has rubbished speculation by Conservative MP Angus Taylor that she could enter a leadership challenge within weeks.
Ms Ley said she was continuing ongoing policy discussions with Mr Taylor as the federal parliament restarted.
“These are ridiculous speculations and are being made by people in the media,” he told ABC TV on Wednesday. he said.
“These are not conversations I have with colleagues, and they are not the focus of my team.”
While many Liberal MPs have suggested there could be a challenge to the party’s first opposition leader from next week, Mr Taylor may not have the numbers to move the motion.
It is understood Mr Taylor will not table a motion during the current session week that would allow the party to scrutinize the Albanian government over the rate hike announced on Tuesday.
Liberal MP Andrew Hastie withdrew from the race following a meeting between Ms Ley’s rivals, clearing the way for Mr Taylor to run for the top job.
But moderate senator Jane Hume said no challenge had been put forward.
“There’s no doubt things are in flux at the moment,” he told Sky News.
“I can understand how frustrating this is for Liberal supporters, but I will tell you this, our job here now is to hold the Labor government to account.”
While Ms Ley has been dogged by speculation about her own role, she is confident she can reassemble the coalition by the end of the week following her messy political divorce with the Nationals in January.
“The coalition could be re-formed this week on terms supported by the majority of my party hall,” Ms Ley told reporters in Canberra.
The Liberal leader said the National Party must agree that shadow cabinet solidarity is essential and that the joint opposition party chamber takes precedence over the wishes of any party, adding that the three National Senators who take to the floor on contentious hate crime legislation must face consequences.
He will meet Mr Littleproud on Wednesday to continue negotiations but the National Party leader has said he supports his senators.
“I will not dominate anything, at home or abroad,” Mr. Littleproud said.
“Three of my senators were impeached when they shouldn’t have been, and we couldn’t work with them unless that situation was fixed.”
