The Liberal Party is reportedly teetering on the brink of a leadership challenge, with former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull urging a prominent frontbencher to step up and officially contest the top job. The whispers of a potential spill against current Opposition Leader Sussan Ley have intensified in recent days, even as the Coalition managed to reconvene its parliamentary ranks last weekend.
Angus Taylor, the current shadow defence spokesperson and a former shadow treasurer, has emerged as the leading contender to succeed Ley should a leadership contest materialise. This comes after Andrew Hastie, another conservative figure, officially withdrew his name from contention late last month, clearing the path for Taylor.
A Call for Open Challenge
With the current parliamentary sitting week being the last for the month, speculation is rife that a leadership spill could be triggered within the next three days. While a partyroom meeting was held this morning, a spill was not formally called, partly due to senators being engaged in estimates sittings.
However, Malcolm Turnbull, who himself famously resigned from the frontbench in 2015 to successfully challenge then-Prime Minister Tony Abbott for the Liberal leadership, has publicly called on Taylor to emulate his move this week.
“I do think he should [challenge],” Turnbull stated during a press conference held in the Senate courtyard, the very location where he issued his own leadership challenge years ago. “I think it is important to stand up and be counted. This is a place where you vote in public, so if Angus wants to be leader of the Liberal Party, he should stand up and say so, and say why.”
Political Turmoil and Dire Polls
Sussan Ley’s leadership position has reportedly become increasingly precarious as the Liberal Party struggles to gain traction in the opinion polls. The most recent Newspoll, released on Monday, painted a grim picture for the Coalition, with its primary vote plummeting to a mere 18 per cent. This places them significantly behind both Labor, which garnered 33 per cent, and One Nation, sitting at 27 per cent. The Liberal Party’s own primary vote is a stark 15 per cent.
Turnbull stopped short of suggesting that Ley, who has held the position of Opposition Leader for less than a year, has been unfairly treated. He acknowledged that such challenges and scrutiny are an inherent part of the political landscape.
He admitted to finding it difficult to identify a clear pathway back to power for the party. “I sympathise with all of my former colleagues, but they are in a terrible state,” Turnbull remarked. “This is the Liberal Party facing an existential crisis. It’s a long road ahead… they should be worried, these polls are terrible.”
The current political climate suggests a period of intense introspection and potential upheaval for the Liberal Party as it grapples with its standing in the electorate and the looming prospect of a leadership contest. The coming days are expected to be critical in determining the future direction of the party.
