The long anticipated move against Sussan Ley as the Liberal party’s leader came late on Wednesday when Angus Taylor resigned from the Shadow Cabinet.
Throughout Thursday a succession of Liberal MPs headed to the leaders office to tell Sussan Ley they were quitting her team and no longer believed she had to ability to turn around the party’s fortunes.
Tasmanian senator Claire Chandler was first to send him her resignation letter, stepping down as the party’s spokesperson on science and cybersecurity.
She was quickly followed by Shadow Minister for Defence and the NDIS, Phil Thompson. He delivered the letter calling for a spill motion. Western Australian senator Matt O’Sullivan, who was the Shadow Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and the Infrastructure has also tendered his resignation soon after.
Challenger Angus Taylor put out a video outlining why he wanted to take over the top job, filmed in a rural setting, he spoke about
“I’m running to be the leader of the Liberal party because I believe Australia is worth fighting for. I believe we need strong and decisive leadership that gives Australians clarity, courage and confidence in providing a vision for the future.” he declared.
In the video Taylor said he would advocate for solutions to the problems that Australians were facing.
Throughout the day the resignation letters continued to pile up on Sussan Ley’s desk.
Senator James Paterson quit and then fronted the media delivering an eloquent outline of the challenge the party was facing, few people voted for them at the last election, and ever week more people voice support for other parties.
Western Australian senators Matt O’Sullivan and Michaelia Cash, Queensland powerbroker James McGrath, Dan Tehan, Jonno Duniam, and Leah Blyth, all quit.
Finally Western Australian senator Dean Smith said he had also lost faith in the current leader.
“After careful consideration and discussions with the Western Austalian Liberal Party Members, I have decided to support the spill motion and Angus Taylor in his bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia,” he wrote on social media tpwards the end of the day.
The MPs will all meet at 9am Canberra time to vote on whether a spill motion goes ahead, and then who will be the leaders of party. For most Western Australians it means we’ll likely make to a new Liberal leader in the morning.
While Sussan Ley’s time as leader appears to be all but done, who will emerge as the party’s Deputy Leader is also a mixed contest.
Western Australian Melissa Price has indicated she might throw her hat in the ring, Senator Jane Hume as been reportedly making calls, Dan Tehan is a possibility, and others have wondered in Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is still interested in the role, plus the incumbent Ted O’Brien has been acknowledged as a good performer – and maybe he should be allowed to stay on.
Thirty two members will head in to vote, and Angus Taylor will be praying that at least 17 of them are in his corner.
