Liberal leader Sussan Ley says she will remain as leader despite ongoing fallout over energy policy
Liberal leader Sussan Ley has declared her leadership “absolutely” secure despite dissatisfaction over her net zero backflip.
Sussan Ley has faced a grilling on whether her leadership of the Liberal Party is safe despite turning her back on net zero to satisfy conservatives and Coalition partners, the Nationals.
Rumours that the Opposition Leader’s leadership is still in trouble are continuing, with suggestions her moderate supporters are urging Andrew Hastie to mount a challenge.
But Ms Ley said leadership rumours didn’t interest everyday Australians who were worried about the cost of living and power prices.
When 7.30 host Sarah Ferguson asked her if she could guarantee that she would still be leader by Christmas, Ms Ley replied “absolutely” before trying to focus on policy talking points.
“Do you new people don’t have a right to know what is going on in the party?” Ferguson pressed.
“I think people have the right to know what policies we are developing, how we are doing it in the interests of them,” Ms Ley replied.
“We should be here and we are here in the interests of the Australian people.
“I acknowledge, when it appears we’re talking about ourselves, people do mark us down. I accept that.
“I’m also thrilled to say that both our party rooms came together and as Leader of the Opposition that is an exercise I led, after six months of policy development and agreed on the plan which is something that matters much more to Australians than the Canberra bubble speculation or all of the talk about whatever is going on.”
Ms Ley’s future has been subject to intense scrutiny amid the ongoing fallout of the Coalition scrapping its net zero target.
The move to axe the emissions target was reportedly seen by Liberal moderates as Ms Ley capitulating to the conservative bloc in her party.
It has also raised the question of Ms Ley’s future in the top job and amid the growing public profiles of potential leadership challengers Angus Taylor and Andrew Hastie.
On Monday, The Australian reported some moderates had broken ranks to back Mr Hastie as leader, instead of Ms Ley
Senior Liberal senator and moderate Anne Ruston tried to shut down rumours the party’s moderate faction was railing against Ms Ley.
According to the same report, leading moderate Anne Ruston claimed she never agreed to taxpayer-funded subsidies for coal-fired plants, despite it being a key proposal outlined in the Coalition’s new energy plan announced on Sunday.
However, Senator Ruston came out in defence of both Ms Ley and the new energy plan on Monday, in an afternoon appearance on Sky News.
“I’m really proud of the fact that our party has got its first female leader, but I think that nobody should be considering any sort of a challenge at the moment” Senator Ruston said.
“At the moment, we’ve got a really important job … we’ve got to call the government out for their failures, and we’ve got to show the Australian public that we’ve got an alternative policy agenda, and so that’s what we should be talking about right now.
“And so I absolutely support stability, I support my leader, and I’ll continue to do so.”
Asked whether she was comfortable with the policy in its entirety, Senator Ruston said: “I think we need to be clear that the overwhelming majority of the issues that were before our party room were universally agreed.”
PM lashes Coalition leadership
Earlier, Anthony Albanese delivered a scathing assessment of Ms Ley’s leadership, after being asked to extend his “sympathies” to the embattled leader.
New Redbridge polling has found that under the Opposition Leader, the Coalition’s primary vote has hit a record low of 24 per cent, while Labor has shot ahead with a 10-point two-party preferred lead thanks to a 4 per cent boost in primary votes.
Speaking to Nova Radio in Melbourne, Mr Albanese was asked whether he could offer any sympathy to Ms Ley, in light of his widening preference lead.
“Sympathies? Well, I’m the sort of guy I must say if the Hawks are playing anyone … and we’re 10 goals up at halftime, I’m the sort of guy who wants us to win by 20 goals, not for it to be close.”
He added that politics was a “tough game”.
“And the problem is she’s clearly being undermined by her own side and they’re a bit of a rabble at the moment, that’s the truth.,” Mr Albanese said.
“They had a so-called policy that really doesn’t add up, announced. And then they go in and Anne Ruston, who’s a senior shadow minister, says, ‘Well, that’s not what we agreed to two days ago’, so they can’t even agree on what they’ve decided.”
The comments Mr Albanese referenced were later debunked by Senator Ruston as “incorrect” in a joint statement with senator Maria Kovacic.
“We, along with an overwhelming majority of our moderate colleagues, continue to strongly support Sussan’s leadership,” they said.
“This matter was resolved in the party room six months ago and Sussan will lead us strongly to the next election.”
Ley tight-lipped on polls
Speaking to reporters in Sydney, Ms Ley refused to comment on her drastically plummeting approval rates, saying she was focused on delivering the Coalition’s energy plan.
“Well, I’m not interested in polling, and I’m not interested in public commentary about polling.
“What I’m interested in is this plan, this plan that delivers affordable energy for households and puts priority on delivering that affordable energy because, right now, we have an energy policy trainwreck from this government.
“I know that the communities of which you speak broadly will also be feeling the pain that I’ve talked about, and they’ll also be struggling with the cost of energy, and they also know that when energy is unaffordable, everything is unaffordable.”
Ms Ley also refused to comment on growing discontent in the NSW Liberals, which is also facing a crisis of leadership over net zero.
“I’ll leave commentary about the NSW Liberal Party, opposition etc and, indeed, any other state government or opposition around the country, I’ll confine it to those remarks that have been made by them.
“And I will simply say that not for one minute will I lose focus on the most important exercise mission right here, which is to talk to Australians to understand the pain that they’re feeling.”
Leadership rumbles
Earlier, Ms Ley denied being worried about the threat of a leadership spill, as reports emerged of her losing the support of the party room.
Both she and Nationals leader David Littleproud announced their energy policy on Sunday following the decision to can the 2050 net-zero target.
Taxpayer-funded subsidies for coal plants, lifting the ban on nuclear, and scrapping climate objectives from the Australian Energy Market Operator were some of the measures announced as part of the new joint platform.
Sunrise host Nat Barr grilled Ms Ley on the prospects of a leadership spill on Monday morning.
“The sharks are circling … are you worried? Is your leadership terminal?” Barr asked.
Ms Ley avoided answering the question directly, saying she was focused on the Coalition’s new energy plan which was about Australians and affordable energy “as a priority”.
“It’s about looking after the next generation, who, right now are going to have a lower standard of living than their parents,” she said.
Originally published as Liberal leader Sussan Ley says she will remain as leader despite ongoing fallout over energy policy
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