Conservative Liberals expecting more frontline roles as Sussan Ley grapples with new shadow ministry

Liberal MPs agreed there would be ‘more jobs for everyone’ after the Coalition split, but time would tell how well they would take to traditional National roles like resources.

Sussan Ley. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

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Conservative Liberal MPs are expecting Sussan Ley to give them more frontline roles than she may have planned, as the Opposition Leader struggled to explain how she would avoid demoting up to nine members of her own party if the Nationals come back to the Coalition.

The Opposition Leader on Tuesday declared that had plenty of talent to choose from as she prepares to pick a shadow ministry made purely out of her own party’s MPs in coming days.

“I have enormous talent in the Liberal Party party room and the shadow ministers that I appoint from that party room will be well equipped and incredibly capable to take the fight up to Labor right up until the next election,” she said in Canberra.

Ms Ley has already promised to give prominent roles to her intra-party rival Angus Taylor and recent Liberal defector Jacinta Nampijinpa Price top roles, as she tries to rebuild the party after its devastating loss on May 3.

Liberal conservative frontbenchers Michaelia Cash and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. Picture: AAP

Liberal MPs told The Australian on Wednesday that agreed there would be “more jobs for everyone” in their party now that the shadow cabinet spots promised to the Nationals no longer needed to be provided.

But one party source said time would tell how well Liberals took to roles that “traditionally went to the National Party” such as veteran affairs or resources.

“Sussan (Ley) has said that she expects the discussion and negotiations over the Coalition agreement to continue. But what happens with that Liberal Party member holding the portfolio if the agreement gets signed and that … portfolio would go back,” the Liberal MP said.

“Does that particular shadow minister give it their all knowing they won’t be there in a week’s time and three years’ time?”

One conservative Liberal MP said while they previously would have expected to have received a backbench role, they now “can’t see that happening” given the number of roles to be filled by the Liberal Party.

“I’ve always said I’ll take whatever job is given, whether that’s frontbench or backbench. But now, with what’s happened, I can’t see that (a backbench role) happening,” they said.

Angus Taylor at home in Gundary, NSW. Picture: Martin Ollman

While senior conservatives such as Mr Taylor and James Paterson were always expected to get frontbench positions despite how they voted in the leadership ballot, other more junior conservatives told The Australian before the Nationals split that they had lowered their hopes of getting a shadow ministry or assistant ministry spot.

However, conservative MPs said they now thought they had a “better chance” of getting into the ministry thanks to the extra spots created after the Coalition split.

Ms Ley refused repeatedly to say if she would demote Liberals if she re-entered a Coalition with David Littleproud before the next election.

“If the Nationals would like to reopen negotiations about rejoining the Coalition, and I hope they do, we will work through those issues at the time,” Ms Ley said.

“The shadow ministers that I appoint (from the Liberal Party) can have every confidence that they will be there developing a really important agenda.”

Liberal candidate Tim Wilson celebrates after defeating independent Zoe Daniel in the seat of Goldstein. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The new Liberal leader will also likely need to reward more conservatives as a result of her own support base in the party dwindling off the back of moderate Liberal Gisele Kapterian’s likely loss in the Sydney seat of Bradfield and senate supporters like Linda Reynolds leaving parliament in June.

Ms Ley did receive some good news on Wednesday, with likely shadow frontbench appointment Tim Wilson officially beating Teal MP Zoe Daniel in the Melbourne seat of Goldstein by 124 votes.

“First team to retake the same seat lost to an independent MP – ever! … First team to defeat a teal independent MP – ever!” Mr Wilson told supporters on Wednesday.

“First Liberal team in 110+ years to win a seat off an independent MP elected at general election (and it has only been done once before – 1913 in Gippsland). Unprecedented. Historic. You’re all amazing. Congratulations!”