A senior member of the Liberal Party’s frontbench, Angus Taylor, is set to step down from the shadow cabinet on Wednesday in order to contest Sussan Ley for the party’s leadership.
According to Liberal Party regulations, members of the frontbench are not allowed to continue in their positions if they disagree with the leader, which means Taylor has to step down before officially starting his campaign.
Taylor is anticipated to initiate a leadership bid by Friday, with a party-room vote planned on the same day, paving the way for a intense rivalry between him and Ley.
Taylor’s departure might lead to more resignations, as shadow finance minister James Paterson and shadow home affairs minister Jonno Duniam are also anticipated to resign if they do not support Ley.
For many weeks, MPs questioned if Taylor had sufficient backing to stage a genuine challenge, contending that merely switching leaders would not improve the Coalition’s low approval ratings.
However, Sunday’s Newspoll, which revealed the Coalition’s primary vote dropping to a historic low of 18 percent, has increased internal frustration and moved momentum in Taylor’s favor.
Ley’s backers maintain she will not step down on her own, indicating that only an official leadership vote can oust her.
Long before Taylor formally announces his choice, discussions have already started among insiders about who would be his vice president if he secures the victory.
Incumbent deputy Ted O’Brien is seen as the favorite, mainly because opposing groups have had difficulty coming together around another candidate.
Some are advocating for moderate senator Jane Hume, suggesting she could assist Taylor in reaching a wider audience within the party.
On Monday, Hume cautioned that if the party’s downturn persists, replacing leaders would be ineffective.
“I’m not sure who remains. Right now, it’s a leadership race between Sussan Ley, Andrew Hastie, and Angus Taylor. None of them will hold seats after the upcoming election if this continues, so change is necessary,” Hume stated.
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