Sussan Ley’s defeat of Angus Taylor (29 votes to 25) in the Liberal Party leadership race has set tongues wagging. With Ted O’Brien clinching the deputy role over Phillip Thompson, Jacinta Price’s last-minute withdrawal from the deputy race capped a tumultuous week. Our readers, with their sharp grasp of Australian politics, likely have strong views on what tipped this contest. Was it Taylor’s alliance with Price and her Trump-inspired “Make Australia Great Again” rhetoric, or broader party dynamics? Share your thoughts!
Australian leadership contests often hinge on key factors:
• Factional Fault Lines: Ley, backed by moderates and former premier Jeff Kennett (not a big plus in my view), appealed to MPs wary of Taylor’s conservative faction, bolstered by Price’s defection from the Nationals. Her “MAGA” cap and Trump-esque slogans alienated moderates and urban voters, who saw her as “electoral poison.”
• Electoral Fallout: The Liberals’ 2025 election “bloodbath,” dropping to around 25 seats, blamed partly on Peter Dutton’s Trump-aligned campaign, hurt Taylor’s credibility as shadow treasurer. His failure to counter Labor’s economic narrative and unpopular policies such as public service cuts weakened his bid.
• Price’s Polarising Move: Taylor’s choice of Price as deputy, following her defection from the Nationals, backfired. Her “Make Australia Great Again” comments and MAGA cap photos sparked accusations of importing Trump’s divisive style, clashing with the party’s need to reconnect with urban and moderate voters. (This one is my guess.)
• Policy and Vision: Ley’s centrist approach and focus on regional issues such as health resonated more than Taylor’s economic conservatism and nuclear energy push, which MPs questioned post-election.
• Party Unity: After a crushing defeat, MPs sought a leader to bridge divides. Ley’s moderate stance and endorsements from party heavyweights outshone Taylor’s right-wing ticket with Price, seen as a risky shift further from the center.
What sealed Sussan Ley’s victory? Was it Angus Taylor’s MAGA misstep with Jacinta Price, or a broader rejection of Trump’s shadow? Share your insights.
See also:
Sussan Ley: The Cosmic Queen of the Liberal Party
Monash expert: Sussan Ley named new Liberal leader
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The slide, after the GFC and some ALP team reconstruction, led, most unfortunately, to the Abbott to Morrison span, incompetence multiplied by ignorant deviation driven by runaway error-ridden ideologies, introversional self harm and deafness to sense. An ALP government for the last three years has arrested the severity of declines in key areas. Now, in a surprise to professional observers, pollsters, media maggots and myth pushers, a winning ALP return allows for more confidence, boldness, effort. We need it. Consensus, consultation, foresight, some vision, this is desirable, attainable. And..,this opposition is nearly unthinkable, untenable, unbelievable.
Blowback. Much said about Taylor’s role in the LNP election result, none of it positive or affirmative. His colleagues would be acutely aware of that, and while perhaps careful to not knife him publicly, that route a bit too messy, the ballot box option was deemed sufficient to make the point of his incapacity to lead & unite the maimed & shell-shocked remnants of the Conservative party.
That said, to anyone with half a brain, it’s blindingly obvious he’s a dud, an Aussie version of the English twit, and perhaps way beyond time for him to give it all up and get back to his farm and on the tractor.
Clearly his surname was a disadvantage.
Like fitting a new figurehead to the Titanic just before departure, the liberals have gotten themselves a new leader. Or at least someone to sit in loto’s chair.
It’s a dirty job but someone has to do it.
The choice was between someone who as shadow treasurer showed wat too often that he was out of his hepth with any amount greater than his pocketmoney, and a strange woman who has almost as many spare letters in her name because it’s good for her aura as she does spare houses.
Australia. The Lucky Country.
Lucky that neither are in charge.
Albo must be laughing all the way to the dispatch boxes with Taylor and Price out of the race and Ley in the hot seat. Easy peasy for the next 4 years.
Never underestimate Labor’s ability to shoot itself down from a position of electoral strength.Especially with an unrequited spoon like Marles hovering in the background.
Harry, I don’t think that Marles is in the same category as Gillard and co. I am inclined to think that Albo is no fool and looking at the team he is building a great deal of capacity.