Angus Taylor, installed to save the Coalition, has failed to make up ground in the polls and oversaw a catastrophic defeat to One Nation in the Farrer byelection. The opposition leader’s response on multiculturalism has prompted concern over how he is managing the party’s biggest challenge.
Closed-Door Meeting and ‘Stacking’ Comment
In a closed-door meeting of Liberal MPs on Tuesday morning, Taylor urged colleagues to start actively recruiting members to rebuild the party’s depleted rank and file. According to five sources, Taylor told MPs to start “stacking” the party with members, a politically loaded term used to describe mass recruitment drives for influencing candidate preselections. The sources noted a shoutout to hard-right Liberal Senator Alex Antic, who gained control of the South Australian division after encouraging churchgoers and anti-government sceptics to join.
Taylor’s “stacking” comment was interpreted as a joke, an offhand remark, or a poor attempt at humour, but all agreed it fell flat, demonstrating his awkward communication style.
Multiculturalism Comments Spark Backlash
At a press conference hours later, Taylor gave five non-answers to a straightforward question about whether he supported multiculturalism. Rather than capitalise on an opportunity to differentiate from One Nation, he floundered, resulting in negative headlines that overshadowed the Coalition’s attacks on Labor’s tax changes. Shadow ministers subsequently endorsed Australia’s cultural diversity in clear terms, highlighting Taylor’s failure.
The episode has fuelled deeper concerns about Taylor’s leadership and his approach to managing the threat of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation. The divide among Liberals over how to handle Hanson’s party does not fall neatly along factional lines.
Polling and Byelection Defeat
More than four months after Taylor ousted Sussan Ley in a “change or die” moment, the Coalition, combined with the Nationals, was polling just 18%. Taylor has restored discipline, repaired relations with the Nationals, and announced tax bracket indexing, but he has failed to gain in polls. The Coalition lost the Farrer byelection to One Nation, triggered by Ley’s retirement. The latest Newspoll puts the Coalition at 18%, the same as in February. Some Liberals privately concede Taylor is faring no better than his predecessor.
Internal Divide on One Nation Strategy
Shadow minister Tony Pasin called for carving up seats with One Nation, while former Prime Minister Tony Abbott supported preference deals. Taylor rejected Pasin’s “non-compete” idea but was open to Abbott’s preference swap. Shadow minister Andrew Hastie, considered a potential leadership challenger, declared he would “never surrender” to One Nation, citing a campaign against him. “I would rather get taken out in a box than bend the knee to One Nation,” Hastie said, according to sources.
Colleagues interpreted Hastie’s remarks as frustration with Liberals advocating acquiescence to Hanson. One Liberal MP said, “When he is saying he will not be bending the knee to Pauline Hanson, the question is: who is bending the knee?”
Immigration Stance and Concerns
Taylor’s first policy as leader outlined a hardline immigration agenda to stem losses to One Nation. However, some Liberals are concerned about efforts to “outflank” Hanson. After Hanson’s speech to the National Press Club, Taylor criticised the rate of overseas doctors being issued visas. One Liberal described the stance as a “pure vote loser” given doctor shortages. Another said Taylor appeared “paralysed” and needed to start “leading to win”.
Opportunities Missed
Liberal MP Garth Hamilton said the Coalition received “two blessings”: Labor’s “horrible budget” and Hanson’s “horrible speech” to the National Press Club. He argued that differentiating from One Nation on multiculturalism while maintaining a hardline immigration stance was straightforward. Yet Taylor stumbled on Tuesday, dodging questions and asking a reporter to define multiculturalism. He later clarified his position in a statement, but colleagues remain concerned.
As One Nation rises, questions persist about whether Taylor can prevent political annihilation or is leading the Coalition toward disaster.
