Sussan Ley’s leadership seen as finished after Coalition split over hate speech laws

Senior Liberal colleagues believe Sussan Ley’s leadership of the Liberal party is all but over after a spectacular split over hate speech laws blew up the Coalition for the second time in eight months.

Multiple sources named Angus Taylor and Andrew Hastie as leading contenders to replace her, with Tim Wilson and Ted O’Brien mentioned internally but regarded as outsiders. The rupture followed Ley sacking three Nationals senators for crossing the floor over the laws, which prompted all of the Nationals’ frontbench – including leader David Littleproud – to quit the shadow ministry in solidarity. Littleproud said the Coalition was “untenable”, and some Liberals blamed poor polling and a prior split for making Ley’s position “toxic and terminal”.

A leadership spill can be triggered if two MPs petition the party whip, and two sources expect a petition could be signed within 48 hours, with a challenge possibly materialising as early as Friday after the day of mourning for the Bondi attack. The timing and likely successor remain unclear: Hastie and Taylor are in the same right faction so only one could realistically contest a ballot, while others urged unity and warned against letting the Nationals dictate the Liberal leadership. Ley released a statement calling for focus on the day of mourning and Guardian Australia understands she asked Littleproud to delay media appearances.

Key Topics

Politics, Sussan Ley, Liberal Party, Angus Taylor, Andrew Hastie, David Littleproud