Angus Taylor's Leadership Bid: Can He Revive the Struggling Liberal Party?
Angus Taylor appears to have all the on-paper qualifications necessary to become opposition leader. However, significant questions persist regarding his capability to perform the role effectively, particularly when a miracle worker seems essential to lift the struggling Liberal Party from its existential crisis. Taylor's political journey thus far is viewed by numerous observers and many colleagues as one of unfulfilled promise.
A Party at Its Lowest Ebb
Should Taylor secure the leadership, he would assume control with the party at its nadir, widely considered to have no realistic prospect of victory at the 2028 election. The first plausible opportunity for Taylor, now aged 59, to become prime minister would likely be 2031 – an exceptionally long duration to endure as opposition leader in this intensely poll-driven political era.
Taylor is a Rhodes scholar with robust qualifications in economics and an impressive business career preceding his political entry. This included serving as a director at Port Jackson Partners, a prominent business consultancy firm. Rod Sims, a fellow director at Port Jackson who later headed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, describes Taylor as 'extremely intelligent. He was very, very good at what he did, advising boards of some of the largest companies on corporate strategy.'
Controversies and Communication Challenges
Few would dispute that when Taylor was elected for the NSW regional seat of Hume in 2013, he had his sights set on the ultimate prize, a perception reinforced by glowing initial publicity. Over subsequent years, however, several personal controversies have shadowed him. These range from questions regarding alleged illegal clearing of protected grassland by a company in which his family held financial interests – he denied any wrongdoing – to employing a mysterious and misleading document to attack Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, which he could never adequately explain.
In his maiden parliamentary speech, while condemning political correctness, Taylor inaccurately claimed to have lived in the same Oxford University corridor as feminist writer Naomi Wolf. He was later embarrassed when Wolf clarified she wasn't at the university during that period. When encountering trouble, Taylor has frequently struggled to extricate himself cleanly.
His frontbench experience encompasses serving as minister for industry, energy and emissions reduction in the Morrison government and as shadow treasurer in Peter Dutton's opposition. His tenure in the latter role proved particularly challenging. He struggled against Treasurer Jim Chalmers, and according to Niki Savva's book Earthquake, Dutton considered Taylor a 'terrible retail politician who produced policies that could not be sold or explained to the public.'
Policy Positions and Political Evolution
Taylor advocated for the opposition to counter the government's 2025 budget tax cuts with an alternative tax policy. Dutton rejected this approach, leading the opposition into the election – disastrously – granting the government significant advantage on tax issues. Former Liberal treasurer Peter Costello remarked to The Australian's Troy Bramston, 'At the last election, [the Liberals] got themselves into a position where they were proposing to increase income taxes, run bigger deficits, [with] no real plan to reduce debt.'
Nonetheless, Taylor as leader would likely feel most comfortable discussing the perils of debt and deficit. Yet contemporary voters increasingly prioritize other concerns, desiring more government action rather than less. One economist who has observed Taylor over years describes him as 'very smart and a very good economist,' not a hardline dry but aligned with the market approach of the Howard-Costello era. 'He's in the right party – if it were the party of 20 years ago.' The political landscape has fundamentally shifted.
'I'd be stunned if the times suited Angus Taylor,' this source states. 'Would we see the Angus Taylor of his convictions, or Angus Taylor pushed around by the populism of the moment? How would he battle One Nation? That's hard to do from the viewpoint of market economics.'
Climate Policy and Internal Dynamics
While Taylor aligns with Liberal mainstream economics, his stance on climate policy has been notably variable. During his business career, he demonstrated awareness of climate change issues and supported renewables. Years later, however, he opposed Malcolm Turnbull's National Energy Guarantee (NEG), a plan designed to reduce emissions while ensuring grid reliability. Under Scott Morrison, he advocated for the net zero by 2050 target, yet in opposition, he joined conservatives like Andrew Hastie in opposing it, marching into the party meeting that abandoned the Liberal commitment to this target.
Turnbull remarks pointedly, 'Angus' views on energy were more enlightened when he was working for Rod Sims [at Port Jackson] and supported an economy wide carbon price.'
Personality and Gender Quotas
One of Taylor's staunchest supporters is former MP Craig Laundy, a close Turnbull ally who entered parliament alongside Taylor. Laundy disputes perceptions of Taylor having a 'born to rule' attitude, calling it 'harsh and unfair.' He asserts, 'He was always a very good communicator and I think [if he is leader] he will surprise many on the upside of how he will connect with the community across the board.'
Taylor's personality is self-confident yet reserved. One source notes a certain vulnerability – nervousness before speeches and post-delivery reflection on performance. Many contest Laundy's assessment of Taylor's communication skills, with even admirers acknowledging room for improvement. A former parliamentary colleague observes, 'Like a lot of really bright guys, Angus can sometimes get into over-analysis of things.'
As opposition leader, his ability to communicate with women would prove crucial. His stance on quotas likely creates an initial handicap. He stated last year: 'We absolutely need more women in the party at every level... but I have never been a supporter of quotas.' One prominent Liberal woman outside parliament, who personally likes Taylor, describes him as a 'caricature of a Liberal male – males who have managed to progressively alienate women from the Liberal party.' Another ponders: 'He's very handsome, well read, tall and a good farmer – but entirely lacking in charisma. How can that be possible?'
The Path Forward
As leader, Taylor would need to engage across party factions more extensively than ever before. 'Retail politics' holds equal importance within a fractured party as with the broader electorate. As the most senior conservative faction member, Taylor viewed himself as the logical opposition leader post-2025 election. In a significant miscalculation, he encouraged the defection of Jacinta Nampijinpa Price from the Nationals as his potential deputy. Taylor subsequently lost to Ley (25-29), and Price did not nominate.
He anticipated Ley's failure, though he preferred not to precipitate a challenge so soon. When the assertive Hastie began forcing the issue, Taylor's position was unequivocal: it was his turn next. The leadership contest remains fluid, with Sussan Ley potentially rallying moderate support to defeat Taylor in a spill motion, underscoring the party's profound internal divisions.
