Sussan Ley’s elevation to become the first female leader of the federal Liberal Party has been hailed as a new beginning for a federal opposition facing years in the wilderness.
The party’s former deputy under Peter Dutton defeated former shadow treasurer Angus Taylor 29 votes to 25 in a party room ballot of 54 members on Tuesday.
Ms. Ley said: “It is an enormous privilege to have been elected the leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party.”
“I am humbled. I am honoured. And I am up for the job.”
REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN WILL BE A TOP PRIORITY
She pledged unity and greater focus on Australian women.
“The number of women supporting us is declining and I want to rule the line under that.”
Ms Ley has previously backed reforms in the Liberal Party to set targets for female representation of between 40 and 50 percent of MPs, but made no commitment to quotas on her first day as leader.
“I want to say right here and now we need more women in our party. Had we done better at the last election we would have (more) outstanding women in the party room.”
“TOGETHER WE WILL WORK TO EARN BACK THE TRUST OF AUSTRALIANS”
She used her first comments as leader to reflect on her past as a migrant, businesswoman and regional representative.
“I committed to my colleagues that there would be no captain’s calls from anywhere by me,” the new leader stressed.
She was acknowledging that Coalition MPs want more free-flowing discussion to reach policy decisions.
They argued that a premium on unity under Mr. Dutton had stifled debate.
Mr. Taylor congratulated Ms. Ley, saying her leadership was a milestone as he joined a chorus of Liberal MPs urging unity during the party’s rebuild.
“Together we will work to earn back the trust of Australians,” he declared.
SUSSAN LEY ASSERTS SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL
Sussan Ley asserted her support for Israel and sought to distance herself from her past pro-Palestinian views.
She explained that while she was still a “steadfast friend” of Palestinians, and criticised their leaders for “letting them down”, she had changed her views on the conflict.
As a former co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Palestine group, she now saw the issues through a “different prism” after a trip to Israel — a move that has been praised by Jewish leaders.
Ms. Ley said in 2008 that Palestinians are “airbrushed out of existence”, but on Tuesday she conceded it was one of the “great privileges” of age that she could re-examine her views after the issue had been “thoroughly ventilated” with her colleagues.
WHAT ABOUT INDIGENOUS POLICIES?
“With respect to Welcome to Country, it’s simple: if it’s meaningful, if it matters, if it resonates, then it’s in the right place,” Sussan Ley asserted.
“If it is done in a way that is ticking a box on a Teams meeting then I don’t think it is relevant. It actually diminishes the value of what it is.”
She added said that although she is happy to stand in front of the Indigenous flag, and frequently does, she would prefer to see the country united under just one flag.
WHAT COALITION MPS SAY ABOUT THEIR NEW LEADER
West Australian Senator Dean Smith said Ms. Ley’s leadership was a “new beginning” while Queensland MP Andrew Wallace said the party had to demonstrate it was listening and learning.
“One thing the Australian people will not cop is a disunified opposition, and we need to now unite and rebuild,” he told reporters after the vote.
“Sussan is a woman with 24 years’ experience in this place and nothing beats experience. You know where all the bodies are buried, you know the tactics.”
LIBERALS AND NATIONALS TO WORK OUT A NEW COALITION AGREEMENT
The Liberal leadership will need to contend with the Nationals as they work out the finer details of a new coalition agreement, especially after Nationals leader David Littleproud flagged that his party’s commitment to a net-zero emissions target was up for review.
Ms. Ley shied away from revealing whether that was the Liberal view, but stressed: “We need to reduce emissions in this country, and Australia needs to play its part in reducing emissions. That, I absolutely sign up to.”
“We also know that, if we don’t do energy policy well, we can crash the energy grid.”
The Australian Associated Press (AAP) writes that: “A climate policy clash risks opening up a schism within the coalition, with moderates angry that the party didn’t do enough on the issue and caused it to bleed votes in metropolitan seats.”
LATEST ELECTION COUNT
According to the latest election count numbers, the coalition is likely to hold 41 lower house seats, against Labor on 93.
Of the four seats yet to be called, the Liberals are ahead in two and Labor one, meaning there’s a chance of a slight improvement in the tally for the major parties, but AAP reports: “The coalition faces a Herculean task to win government in three years regardless.”
Nuclear energy supporter Ted O’Brien is the new Liberal deputy leader after speculation about Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price running for the role, never eventuated.
NEW ALBANESE MINISTRY SWORN IN
Meanwhile, senior Labor politicians swapped factional fisticuffs for fashion and family fun as the new Albanese ministry was sworn in.
So many children were brought to the ceremony that Government House officials had to set up a break room to offer the kids and their parents some space.
And once again Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke hauled his huge Bible to be sworn into office.
It was brought to Australia by his great-grandfather in the aftermath of the Irish famine.
With Australian Associated Press (AAP)
