Sussan Ley’s position is far from assured

The newly elected Liberal leader now presides over a fractured party room where almost half of her colleagues do not believe she is the right person to lead them.

ANALYSIS

Sussan Ley has a mountain to climb rebuilding the Liberals after their election wipe-out, but her task will only be made harder if she’s looking over her shoulder all the time.

She now presides over a fractured party room where almost half of her colleagues do not believe she is the right person to lead them.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has a mountain to climb rebuilding the Liberals after their election wipe-out. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

After Tuesday’s secret ballot she has a mandate to dig in and start the hard work, but having secured just four more votes than rival Angus Taylor, her position is far from assured.

That’s not to say Mr Taylor is in any mind to mount a challenge, but plenty of his supporters are of the view Ms Ley’s tenure ultimately rests on a midterm progress mark.

The knives may have been temporarily stowed away in the name of “unity”, but they remain sharpened at the ready should the MPs who would wield them decide it is necessary.

With Deputy Ted O'Brien at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Wasting the next three years sniping and backstabbing would be terminal for the Liberals, who must walk into the 2028 poll with a policy platform that appeals to Middle Australia and a bevy of candidates who reflect the communities they are seeking to represent.

Ms Ley rejects the notion her election as the first female to lead the Liberal Party amounts to a “glass cliff” promotion — where a woman ascends to a leadership position when the risk of failure is high.

Given how badly Mr Taylor wanted the job, risk and all, Ms Ley’s win is clearly more than a cynical ploy to appease female voters.

But if she is torn down by her detractors before getting the chance to turn the party’s fortunes around, many Australians will only feel justified in their decision to abandon the Liberals.