Sussan Ley’s Liberals rebuild with a network of allies

Sussan Ley will draw on a network of top female business chiefs and counsel from long-time backers and party elders as she attempts to rebuild the decimated Liberals | See the power circle.

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Sussan Ley will draw on a network of top female business leaders and counsel from long-time backers, confidants and party elders as she attempts to rebuild the decimated Liberals and unite a divided ­Coalition.

The Australian can reveal the Liberal Party’s first female leader boasts a power circle that includes Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson, Woodside managing ­director Meg O’Neilll and Coles boss Leah Weckert.

Ms Ley, who entered parliament in 2001, is also close to Western Sydney University chancellor and former Business Council of Australia chief executive Jennifer Westacott, Minerals Council of Australia chief Tania Constable and Australian Energy Producers head Samantha McCulloch.

Over a 24-year parliamentary career, the Opposition Leader has established relationships with a diverse group of business and community leaders, including fellow aviator and entrepreneur Dick Smith, historian Geoffrey Blainey and Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin.

Professor Blainey, 95, has been a big booster of Ms Ley over many years, driven by a belief that she would one day become prime minister.

While Peter Dutton alienated and attacked corporate Australia during the 47th parliament, Ms Ley has indicated she will ­embrace a more collaborative partnership with private-sector leaders who felt frozen out and unheard by her predecessor.

Among her closest business contacts are Tim Cooper, who this year stepped down after more than 23 years as Coopers Brewery managing director, SunRice chief executive Paul Serra and Pact Group founder and billionaire Raphael “Ruffy” Geminder.

A prominent business leader said the change from Mr Dutton to Ms Ley meant the Liberal Party could re-engage with the private sector on major economic and tax reforms geared around driving growth and productivity.

“They (Mr Dutton’s Coalition) wanted us to campaign for them while never really giving us time of day and taking potshots at us,” the industry source said.

Opposition sources said the Liberal leader’s lengthy political career, including stints in health, environment, small business, ­industry and women portfolios, enabled her to establish deep business connections and a strong belief the party must give the private sector a “fair hearing”.

The Australian can also reveal the 63-year-old’s confidants in the parliament. Her inner circle is headlined by South Australian senator Anne Ruston, her closest ally, friend and opposition health, aged-care and NDIS spokeswoman. Others include Queenslander Scott Buchholz, centre-right factional powerbroker Alex Hawke, Victorian MP Zoe McKenzie, Tasmanian frontbencher Jonathon Duniam and NSW senator Maria Kovacic.

In the wake of Ms Ley’s narrow 29-25 victory over Angus Taylor in the Liberal leadership vote, Michaelia Cash and James Paterson (who backed Mr Taylor) have grown closer to the Opposition Leader and are involved in strategic discussions as key figures in the conservative wing. Deputy Opposition Leader and Treasury spokesman Ted O’Brien, who was not previously close to Ms Ley, is also an integral part of the team.

Ms Ley’s Liberal leadership group consists of Mr Taylor, conservative Victorian MP Dan Tehan, Senator Duniam, Senator Cash, Mr O’Brien, Mr Hawke, Senator Ruston and James McGrath. Other Liberals close to Ms Ley include Melissa McIntosh, Angie Bell, Dean Smith, Kerrynne Liddle, Wendy Askew and Leah Blyth.

A senior conservative told The Australian that MPs who backed Mr Taylor were locked in behind Ms Ley.

“(Anthony) Albanese won 94 seats,” the Liberal MP said. “We’ve got to stop making it about ourselves and get behind Sussan. It’s up to her to perform now. The feeling many of us have is that on issues like net zero it’s better for us to have the fights early because leaving it until the end of the term would be a disaster.”

After the Prime Minister this week broke with convention and cut opposition staffing allocations by 17 per cent, effectively cutting 20 roles, including 16 “senior ­adviser” positions, Ms Ley is expected to bear the brunt of staff ­reductions. The Australian understands her office will be smaller than Mr Dutton’s, with up to eight lost positions.

In a political arena increasingly dominated by younger staffers, opponents of Ms Ley have privately raised questions about whether her 30-year-old chief of staff Dean Shachar has the experience to lead the Opposition Leader’s office and over his links to Mr Hawke’s faction.

Mr Shachar, who spent eight months in Mr Hawke’s office ahead of the 2019 election and has worked in the NSW and federal parliaments for Pru Goward, Michael McCormack, Scott Morrison and Senator Cash, was anointed by Ms Ley as her top adviser after successfully steering her leadership bid.

A senior member of Ms Ley’s leadership group, who also sat in Mr Dutton’s shadow cabinet, described Mr Shachar as “an extraordinary hard worker with very considered judgment”.

“His political radar and sharp strategic mind shouldn’t be underestimated,” the senior Liberal MP said. “It will make him a huge asset in the rebuild of the party. He has a deep loyalty to Sussan and the wider party.”

Ms Ley, who is expected to finalise a raft of senior advisers in the coming fortnight, has added veteran operatives including Nigel Blunden, Karly Abbott and Kane Silom. Federal Liberal Party director Andrew Hirst has also been a key figure in the post-­election transition.

Party elders considered closest to Ms Ley are John Howard, Bill Heffernan, Jeff Kennett and Shane Stone.

After narrowly losing preselection to Sophie Mirabella for Indi, Mr Heffernan urged Ms Ley to move across the river and run against the Nationals in Farrer with his influential backing. Following the retirement of former Nationals leader Tim Fischer ahead of the 2001 election, Mr Howard supported Ms Ley in a three-cornered contest, in which she pipped her Nationals rival by 206 votes.

The Australian understands that Ms Ley was on the phone several times a day to Mr Howard as she navigated the week-long ­Coalition crisis sparked by Nationals leader David Littleproud’s threat to quit the conservative partnership.

Former foreign minister and deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop and former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian are sounding boards for Ms Ley, while another long-time friend is Mr McCormack, the Nationals MP and former deputy prime minister in the neighbouring electorate of Riverina.

Ms Ley, a cabinet and shadow cabinet minister under Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull, Mr Morrison and Mr Dutton, has spoken with or exchanged texts with all of the former Liberal leaders.

The Australian understands Ms Ley reached out to Mr Abbott about the NSW Liberal Party intervention and respects Mr Morrison’s advice on US-Australia relations and AUKUS. Ms Ley is understood to have spoken with Mr Dutton before and after her elevation as leader.

Ahead of parliament returning on July 22, Ms Ley will finalise her team and take a one-week break from Sunday as she prepares for her first question time showdown with Mr Albanese.