Sussan Ley has won the Liberal Party leadership in a close contest against Angus Taylor. The vote took place on Tuesday morning and lasted less than 15 minutes, with Ms Ley securing 29 votes while Mr Taylor received 25. This confirms her position as leader and marks a historic moment as the first woman to lead the Liberal Party in federal politics. A text message from inside the meeting confirmed her victory just after 10:15 a.m.
Jacinta Price Withdraws from Deputy Race
Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price exited the deputy leadership contest shortly before the vote, following her recent defection from the Nationals and entry into the Liberal Party room. Although she had earlier announced her intention to run alongside Mr Taylor and received support from conservatives, including former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, she chose not to nominate after Mr Taylor lost. She left the room without comment and told reporters, “I will make comments in due course.”
Ted O’Brien Elected as Deputy Leader
Queensland MP Ted O’Brien won the deputy leadership with a decisive margin, defeating fellow Queenslander Phil Thompson by 38 votes to 16, marking a significant outcome in the wake of the leadership result, as Mr Thompson, despite aiming to build support among younger MPs, was unable to match O’Brien’s backing within the party room.
Leadership Vote Sees MPs Mobilise
The party room meeting began just before 10 a.m. at Parliament House. Ms Ley and Mr Taylor arrived moments apart as Mr Taylor attempted to open a locked door. Senator Price entered with Tasmanian MP Claire Chandler, and Victorian MP Dan Tehan, a potential future leadership contender, arrived alone and maintained neutrality during the vote.
Ley’s Message to the Party
In a video statement released ahead of the meeting, Ms Ley addressed the significance of her leadership, stating, “My election as leader of the Liberal Party would send a very strong signal that we understand that things must be done differently. ” She called for unity and support from MPs to begin a new chapter, while Mr Taylor had earlier pledged to reward talent over factional loyalty and promote more women if elected.
Labor Ministers Sworn In During Liberal Vote
While the Liberal leadership vote was underway, Labor ministers continued to be sworn in at Government House. Foreign Minister Penny Wong arrived with her daughter Alexandra, Health Minister Mark Butler carrying his young son, new frontbencher Sam Rae accompanied by his wife and son, and Defence Minister Richard Marles, completing the ceremony following his role in the recent cabinet reshuffle.
Senator Price Calls for Return to Liberal Roots
Before withdrawing from the deputy race, Senator Price had released a statement confirming her support for Mr Taylor’s leadership bid, stating that returning to the party’s foundations was essential, saying, “There is no question that returning to our roots as a party is critical right now,” while stressing the importance of standing for “forgotten people” and “mainstream Australians,” and recalling her grandparents’ humble beginnings, “They built their first home by hand with hessian bags and washed clothes in the creek in Warners Bay, NSW,” as she emphasised the party’s responsibility to offer a hopeful vision for future generations.
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Voting Eligibility Disputed
Liberal Party director Andrew Hirst confirmed who was eligible to vote in the leadership contest, with Bradfield’s Gisele Kapterian included despite winning by just 0.01 per cent. At the same time, Amelia Hamer, who failed to unseat Monique Ryan in Kooyong, was excluded, and the candidate from Longman, whose seat remains undecided, was granted voting rights, along with those from three-cornered contests in Flinders, Monash, Grey, and Fischer, ensuring representation across key marginal and contested seats.
Coalition Numbers Hit by Election Losses
Following the election, the Liberal Party holds 29 lower house seats and 25 senate seats, providing a total of 54 members who voted in the leadership ballot. Nationals MPs are excluded from the count as they sit in a separate party room, although when included, the Coalition’s numbers in the House of Representatives remain over 40 despite undergoing a significant reduction in seats and parliamentary presence.
Treasurer Mocks Leadership Contest
Treasurer Jim Chalmers responded to the leadership contest during a breakfast TV appearance, stating, “I don’t think that would be an improvement,” and adding, “I think whoever wins this battle of the duds today,” while asserting that “The Liberal Party will still be the party of lower wages, higher income taxes and nuclear reactors,” and claiming the party had failed to learn the lessons of the past three years.
Liberal Leadership Settled After Turbulent sussan Week
Tim Wilson briefly considered running for the leadership sussan before withdrawing his candidacy, as the leadership contest followed a week of speculation, internal sussan lobbying, and shifting allegiances sussan within the party, culminating in the election sussan of Ms Ley as leader and Mr O’Brien as deputy, as the Liberal Party now begins a new chapter with the sussan task of rebuilding after a sharp drop in seats and voter support, sussan shifting focus toward party unity sussan and preparation for the next federal challenge.
