Angus Taylor Triumphs in Liberal Leadership Contest Against Sussan Ley
Angus Taylor has secured a decisive victory in the Liberal party leadership ballot, defeating Sussan Ley to become the new opposition leader. The partyroom vote, held on Friday morning, saw Taylor win 34 votes to Ley's 17, marking the end of her nine-month tenure as the first female leader of the Liberals.
A Strong Mandate for Change
The leadership spill motion passed with 33 votes in favour and 17 against, accompanied by one informal vote, paving the way for Taylor's election. This outcome culminates a protracted campaign by conservative factions within the Liberal party to undermine Ley, who had been backed by moderates following Peter Dutton's significant election loss in May 2025.
Since assuming leadership nine months ago, Ley faced persistent challenges from right-wing opponents who criticised her for not adopting a more robust conservative stance. Despite her efforts, including overseeing the abandonment of the Liberals' net zero by 2050 commitment—a policy established in 2021 when Taylor served as energy minister under Prime Minister Scott Morrison—and advocating strongly for Israel, detractors remained dissatisfied.
Key Issues and Internal Divisions
Critics argued that Ley failed to address migration and cultural issues with sufficient force and was slow to develop policies tackling the cost-of-living crisis. Her leadership was further weakened by two splits from the National party, driven by conflicts with its leader, David Littleproud. The second split in January, triggered by Nationals breaking shadow cabinet solidarity over the Coalition's response to the Bondi massacre legislation, intensified pressure on Ley.
As conservatives Andrew Hastie and Taylor manoeuvred to challenge her, Taylor, the Hume MP, emerged as the preferred candidate of the right faction. In the lead-up to the ballot, Taylor resigned as shadow defence minister, followed by high-profile resignations including shadow ministers James Paterson, Jonno Duniam, Dan Tehan, and key Ley supporter James McGrath.
This leadership change signals a shift in the Liberal party's direction, with Taylor now tasked with uniting the opposition and formulating strategies to counter the Labor government.
