Angus Taylor vows to restore core Liberal values as One Nation gains ground in national polls. Photo / Getty Images
Angus Taylor has directly addressed disaffected Australian voters jumping ship to One Nation in his first remarks since ousting Sussan Ley as opposition leader.
Taylor, speaking at a press conference, told reporters he understood the Liberal base had been disappointed by the party’s offerings of late.
“Well, can I say to those who have been thinking about shifting away from the Liberal Party to One Nation or any other party: we understand you’re disappointed with us, we understand that we need to do better to restore your confidence in us,” he said.
“We are going to do everything in our power to make sure that you see those core Liberal values, those core Liberal priorities, back, front and centre in what we talk about every day, and that includes restoring Australia’s standard of living and protecting their way of life because that’s what I think Australians want to see.”
Recent polling has found One Nation surging in popularity and leapfrogging the coalition as the second most popular party in Australia after Labor.
While the populist party only holds one seat in the House of Representatives – earned by Barnaby Joyce during his time with the Nationals – leader Pauline Hanson has expressed ambitions for it to become a party of government.
Taylor conceded the Liberal Party had been distracted in its focus and forgone the “politics of conviction”.
He said the Liberal Party had a choice to “change or die”.
“I’m particularly conscious that we got some big calls wrong, especially on personal income tax, and it won’t happen again,” he said.
“If an election was held today, our party may not exist by the end of it.
“We’re in this position because we didn’t stay true to our core values because we stopped listening to Australians, because we were attracted to the politics of convenience, rather than focusing on the politics of conviction. This ends today.”
He acknowledged Ley’s “relentless” work ethic and her commitment to the Liberal Party over the last two decades, describing her as a “great person”.
The economy and immigration were the two main priorities for a Taylor-led opposition, he said.
Incoming deputy leader Jane Hume acknowledged many Australians had lost faith in the Liberal Party, telling reporters the reformed opposition would focus on “courage and conviction”.
“The Liberal Party is a party of hope, of aspiration, but most importantly, a party for all Australians,” she said.
Senator Hume thanked her colleagues, including deputy leader challengers Dan Tehan, Melissa Price and Ted O’Brien.
Barnaby Joyce has revealed One Nation is “looking forward” to contesting the seat of Farrer following a byelection battle triggered by Ley’s resignation.
The One Nation MP made the comments in a text sent to Sky News host Laura Jayes, read out live on air, just moments after Ley announced she would quit Parliament.
Ley’s exit comes after she suffered a crushing defeat to Taylor and lost the Liberal leadership after nine months in the top job.
Senator Hanson later confirmed the rural seat would be contested by a “strong candidate” from the populist party.
They would be someone that “represents regional NSW, the rural sector, and someone who understands the issues of the Murray Darling and water”, Senator Hanson said in a statement.
The contest between Ley and Taylor was widely expected to be a tight ballot.
But mere minutes after MPs and senators entered the party room, those inside the room began pinging the lopsided result to reporters corralled outside, with Taylor winning 34 to 17.
Earlier, the motion to spill the party leader was passed 33 to 17, suggesting the writing was on the wall for Ley shortly after 9.10am (local time).
Senator Hume took on Dan Tehan, Ted O’Brien and Melissa Price for the spot as deputy leader.
Price fell first, then Tehan and O’Brien in the final round, 30 to 20.
After the vote, Ley left in silence and ignored questions from the press.
She was surrounded by allies Paul Scarr, Anne Ruston and Maria Kovacic.
Liberal insiders have told NewsWire that Taylor slipped into his office, which neighbours the Liberal party room.
In doing so, he dodged the media camped nearby.
Later, Ley thanked her supporters for their “unflinching” loyalty and claimed she “genuinely did not have hard feelings” towards those who voted against her.
“I want to express gratitude to the Liberal Party that I have belonged to and loved for more than half of my adult life, to the party room that elected me as their leader nine months ago,” she told reporters at a press conference.
“And to the Parliament of Australia that has been the most extraordinary workplace for 25 years.
“The leadership of our party is a gift of the party room and I respect the decision that they have made.”
Ley added: “It is important that the new leader gets clear air, something that is not always afforded to leaders but which in the present moment is more important than ever.”
Reflecting on her bid to run for the federal NSW seat in 2001, Ley said she never expected to be successful.
“I won the seat by 206 votes and I have been re-elected nine times,” she said.
“I love the western plains of NSW, the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers and the rural communities that it has been my enormous privilege to represent.”
The Farrer byelection carves a path for the Nationals, One Nation or potentially Climate-200-backed independent Michelle Milthorpe to clinch the seat from the Liberals.
Two of Australia’s former Prime Ministers have shared their opinions on Taylor’s resounding party room victory.
Tony Abbott delivered a ringing endorsement of the Hume MP, declaring the next federal election winnable under Taylor’s leadership.
He urged all Liberals – regardless of who they voted for – to back the new leader.
He also warned that a reformed Liberal Party could not be a “teal-lite”, “One Nation-lite” or “Labor-lite”.
“It’s got to be strongly Liberal … this is the party of [Robert] Menzies and [John] Howard,” he said.
The criteria for the new frontbench should be “energy, a passion to take on the Government, readiness to get out in the community to sell the message”, Abbott added.
Factions and friends should have no bearing on those who get elevated to the shadow ministry, he said.
Malcolm Turnbull was more critical of Taylor, rubbishing claims the incoming leader could solve the Liberal Party’s entrenched issues.
“No leader is. What they really need to do is move back to the centre. They’ve got to start talking about the economy … they’ve got to actually have some plans. They’ve got to demonstrate that they’re serious people,” he told the ABC.
Detailed plans about how to stimulate and grow Australia’s economy, how to tackle housing affordability, and tax reform, should be a priority for a reformed Liberal Party, Turnbull added.
Turnbull claimed the Liberals had to make policy efforts at a level not traditionally expected from opposition because they had to “regain their credibility” with the Australian people.
Coincidentally, in the 2015 Liberal Party leadership spill, Turnbull ousted Abbott, who was then serving as Prime Minister, after a failed attempt to clinch the leadership from the then Warringah MP in 2009.
O’Brien, the outgoing deputy leader of the opposition, said his replacement would be “enormously effective” and “you have to trust the collective wisdom” of the party room.
“I believe they got it right,” he told reporters.
“I believe Angus and Jane are going to be an awesome and effective team.
“They have my support and they’ll have my loyalty.”
O’Brien also said he would “like to continue as shadow treasurer” but respected that it “is really a matter for the leader”.
He added that he would “serve in whatever capacity”.
Earlier, former frontbencher Dan Tehan denied the change in leadership was a cosmetic one.
“I think we need a serious political manifesto which is true to our values, which clearly articulates where we want to take the nation,” he said.
Asked whether Taylor had such a manifesto, Tehan refused to “cut across” the new opposition leader, who had yet to make a public statement on his win.
Tehan also expressed his gratitude to Ley for the “herculean task” she undertook in helming the Liberals after the party’s worst election loss in history.
He described Ley’s approach as “incredibly dignified” and “incredibly respectful” until the end of her time as leader.
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