Liberals stoking murmurs of conservative forces trying to topple Sussan Ley are “frustrating”, Deputy Opposition Leader Ted O’Brien says, insisting his boss’s job is safe.
Following the Coalition’s split last week, conservative leadership aspirants Angus Taylor and Andrew Hastie have emerged as possible challengers.
NewsWire understands both were canvassing support but how widely remains unclear, with moderates loyal to the Opposition Leader saying they have not received calls and are pushing back against reporting she could be ousted.
Among Ms Ley’s staunchest supporters is Mr O’Brien, who has backed her despite her eight-month leadership being plagued by record-low poll numbers, two Coalition splits, shadow cabinet reshuffles and rebellious backbenchers.
He restated his backing for Ms Ley on Thursday, saying she “absolutely has my support”.
“She was elected leader,” he told the ABC.
“I believe she’s doing a good job and I’ll continue to support her.”
He added that Liberals backgrounding to the media about leadership challenges “aren’t helpful” when the party should be focused on the Albanese government, pointing to this week’s higher-than-expected inflation figures.
He added that the “real issue is the Australian people are feeling poorer because of a very bad Albanese government”.
Also speaking to the ABC, fellow Liberal frontbencher James Paterson echoed Mr O’Brien’s support for Ms Ley, declaring the embattled leader still has the majority of her colleagues’ backing.
“I understand my responsibilities under the Westminster Convention,” he said.
“The first responsibility, if you don’t support any leader, is to tell them, and the second responsibility is to resign.
“I haven’t done either, so you can assume I continue to support Sussan.”
Pressed on whether Ms Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud could bring the Coalition back together, he said it was a matter of principle over personality.
Senator Paterson added that “both the Liberal party room and the National party room agree that we must uphold the conventions of the Westminster system, including shadow cabinet responsibility”.
He said the “Coalition can and should reform regardless of who’s leading us”.
He also confirmed Liberal MPs and senators were having informal conversations with their Nationals counterparts to push for the Coalition’s reunification.
“It is much more preferable, all else being equal, that we fight the next election together, not apart,” Senator Paterson said.
“But if we are to reform, it must be on the basis that everybody, including the National Party, accepts the conventions of shadow cabinet solidarity so that we can be an effective opposition and hopefully also form an effective government.”
Mr Taylor, who serves as opposition defence spokesman, lost last year’s post-election Liberal leadership vote to Ms Ley by just four votes.
Speaking to The Australian on Monday, he did not rule out another run at the party’s top job.
Mr Hastie, on the other hand, resigned from the opposition frontbench after Ms Ley told the then home affairs spokesman that he would not set immigration policy.
From the backbench, Mr Hastie has broadcast a range of hard-line positions, building a hefty social media following and branding himself a populist.
https://thewest.com.au/news/liberals-stoking-leadership-challenge-frustrating-leys-deputy-says-c-21459345
