Sussan Ley vows to broaden party appeal and make fresh start
The Liberal Party and shadow cabinet will meet in the next two days for its first chance to discuss a net-zero emissions target and energy policy, Sussan Ley says.
Sussan Ley says the Liberal Party will soon discuss a “more broad-ranging and wider review process of the fundamentals” of the federal party to examine its “existential issues”, including the operations of its divisions and how to grow its member base.
The Opposition Leader also declared she was a “zealot” to bring more women into the federal partyroom, that the status quo in the party was “completely unacceptable”, and she was open to individual state branches and divisions implementing gender quotas to increase the number of preselected women.
She also laid out the Coalition’s agenda for reaching a policy platform, pledging to create a “dedicated Coalition working group on energy and emissions reduction policy”, amid simmering tensions in the Nationals and the Liberals about net-zero emissions.
Ms Ley laid out her two guiding principles for the Coalition’s energy policy: “having a stable energy grid which provides affordable and reliable power for Australian households and businesses”, and “reducing emissions so that we are playing our part in the global effort”.
She said the energy and emissions reduction working group would report directly to herself and Nationals leader David Littleproud.
“It will be led by the shadow minister Dan Tehan, and involve the shadow treasurer Ted O’Brien, Susan McDonald in resources, Alex Hawke in industry, Angie Bell in environment and shadow assistant ministers Dean Smith and Andrew Willcox,” she told the National Press Club.
Ms Ley, admitting the Coalition was “smashed” at the last election, said the federal executive of the Liberal Party would “soon discuss a more broad-ranging and wider review process of the fundamentals of the Liberal Party”.
She said the party had to represent a “diverse, dynamic and ambitious” modern Australia, and to this end the Liberal Party had to present itself as a party “proudly for women and made up of women”.
Ms Ley pledged to “work proactively, passionately with our state divisions to achieve more women in the Liberal Party”.
“Our party must preselect more women in winnable seats so that we see more Liberal women in federal parliament,” she said.
“Now, I’m agnostic on specific methods to make it happen, but I am a zealot that it does actually happen. Current approaches have clearly not worked, so I am open to any approach that will.
“The Liberal Party operates as a federated model, meaning each state division determines its own preselection rules. If some state divisions choose to implement quotas, that is fine. If others don’t, that is also fine.
“But what is not fine is not having enough women.”
‘My instinct is no’, but not ruling out rejigging taxes
Ms Ley has left the door open to increase tax “in some areas”, but her “instinctive answer is no” to the question of higher taxes.
She was asked – after declaring she would “argue to lower taxes, not higher” – whether she would be open to lifting some types of taxation, for example the goods and services tax, while lowering income tax, to lower the overall tax burden.
“As soon as you say there’s a case for raising tax, my instinctive answer is no,” Ms Ley said.
“In terms of the detail, we want to examine the proposals the government brings forward. They haven’t got a proposal on GST. Right here, right now in opposition, we need to hold them to account.”
Ms Ley said she wanted to “restore” the Liberal Party’s reputation as the “party of lower taxes”.
She outlined that the Coalition’s road back to government was “through every single teal seat”, taking a different approach to former leader Peter Dutton, who sought to battle Labor in suburban seats at the last election.
“I know that the voters in those teal seats – that we are determined to reconnect with – hold their members to account, and I know that we’ll have an agenda that delivers for them in the next three years,” Ms Ley said.
Not committing to net zero
Ms Ley declined to “get ahead of a policy working group” when asked whether it was possible the Coalition would not take a net-zero target to the next election depending on the outcome of the energy and emissions reduction working group.
She said that one of her guiding principles for energy policy would be emissions reduction for Australia to be “playing our part in the global effort”.
“Energy policy is pretty big,” she said. “It includes international commitments, emissions reduction, the types of technology that power our industry, reliable, affordable base-load power, it includes gas, it includes national security, it includes so much.
“So it’s quite right that we consider it in one policy framework, which is exactly what this working group will do going forward.”
We were smashed, Ley admits
Ms Ley has admitted the Coalition was “smashed” at the May election and vowed to broaden her party’s appeal to “respect, reflect and represent modern Australia”.
She declared that being the first female Liberal leader was a “strong signal that we are taking a fresh approach and doing things differently”.
After the Coalition went to the last election pledging higher income taxes than Labor and very little economic reform, Ms Ley vowed to put aspiration and reward for hard work at the centre of the opposition’s policy offering.
“Aspiration is the thread that connects every single part of Australian society,” Ms Ley said. “Aspiration is the foundation of the Australian promise: that if you work hard, play by the rules, do your best for your kids and contribute to your community, you will be able to build a better life for yourself and your family.”
She said the Australian promise “feels distant” for too many people.
“For too many Australians, it is a promise that seems almost unachievable. The Liberal Party must restore that,” Ms Ley said.
“To empower Australians to make decisions that are right for them. To reward effort, not punish success. To ensure the government backs its citizens, not burdens them.”
Mr Dutton was accused of alienating too many voters at the last election, including women, migrants, Indigenous Australians and public servants. Ms Ley promised a more inclusive approach, describing modern Australia as “diverse, dynamic and ambitious”.
“It is made up of people from every corner of the world. It is families raising children in the suburbs. It is young people building careers, renting while chasing the home-ownership dream, and studying for futures that look very different to the past.
“It is older Australians who helped build this country, who still have so much wisdom to offer, with a strong stake in our nation’s future.
“It is professionals, small-business owners, community volunteers, entrepreneurs and everyday workers who deserve to be recognised, not overlooked.
“Modern Australia is not just one story. It’s all of them. And our party must be big enough to represent that shared experience.”
Ms Ley vowed to be “honest and upfront” with Australians as leader of the Liberal Party, mirroring the claims from Anthony Albanese before the 2022 election.
“So, let’s be honest and upfront about last month’s election: we didn’t just lose, we got smashed,” she said. “We respect the election outcome with humility. We accept it with contrition. And we must learn from it with conviction.
“As we seek to regain trust with all voters across our great country, the task before me – and my team – is to lead a Liberal Party that respects modern Australia, reflects modern Australia and represents modern Australia.”
While Ms Ley’s focus on the economy will be welcomed by Coalition MPs, the big stoush that will play out in this parliamentary term is the opposition’s policy on climate change and energy.
Mr Dutton’s commitment to net zero by 2050 is under review, with Ms Ley declaring she would not back the target at “any cost”.
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