As the Liberal Party’s leader, Susan Ley has managed to outlast her predecessor, Alexander Downer, in the top job. However, her position remains precarious, with rumours of a potential leadership challenge looming on the horizon.
Ley’s milestone achievement comes amidst a flurry of party room meetings and tense negotiations with Labor’s Anthony Albanese over the government’s hate speech bill. Despite the challenges, Ley has gained newfound respect from her colleagues for her handling of the situation, particularly her criticism of Albanese’s response to the Bondi beach terror attack.
Yet, the damaging fallout from three National Party senators crossing the floor in Parliament has marked the beginning of the end for Ley’s leadership. The National Party leader, David Littleproud, has effectively called for Ley’s resignation, citing the “untenable” nature of the Coalition agreement with her as leader.
While a challenge may not materialise in the immediate future, many within Ley’s own party consider her time as leader to be limited. The party’s right-wing faction is expected to rally behind a preferred candidate, with Angus Taylor and Andrew Hastie as potential contenders.
Ley’s deputy, Ted O’Brien, and Victorian MP Tim Wilson have also been included in early discussions about potential leadership candidates. Some colleagues have even begun touting Melissa McIntosh, a New South Wales frontbencher, as a possible deputy should Hastie, a Western Australian, become the opposition leader.
Despite Ley’s efforts to maintain stability, the fallout from the hate speech bill negotiations and the National Party’s defection have left her leadership in a precarious position. As Parliament reconvenes in February, the focus will undoubtedly shift to the future of the Liberal Party’s leadership, with Ley’s survival as the opposition leader in serious doubt.
