Taylor Under Pressure to Declare Spill as Liberal Leadership Question Looms

‘If Angus is interested in ... the leadership then he should say so. That’s something he needs to make clear,’ said Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam.

Shadow Minister Angus Taylor at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 17, 2022. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

The Liberal Party’s leadership debate has intensified after Senator Jonathon Duniam publicly pressed Angus Taylor on whether he intended to challenge Opposition Leader Sussan Ley.

Duniam spoke days after Taylor denied plotting a spill, as colleagues braced for a showdown later this week.

“If Angus is interested in ... the leadership, then he should say so,” Duniam told reporters in Canberra on Feb. 10.

“That’s something he needs to make clear.

“And of course, then what events take place after that well trodden path, that’s all a matter for him.”

Duniam spoke minutes before a scheduled Liberal party room meeting expected to confront the leadership crisis. The meeting passed without major incident or announcements, but the pressure on Ley has not eased.

Taylor is widely expected to consider a challenge by Feb. 13, after polling showed the Coalition’s vote continue to slide sharply as their One Nation rivals gain ground.

Taylor’s Supporters Say He Has Enough Support

Taylor’s backers have claimed he has the numbers to win a spill.

However, the MP has not resigned from the shadow frontbench—a step often taken before launching a formal leadership challenge.

Timing may also be dictated by the Senate calendar.

Senators are locked into committee hearings until Feb. 12 afternoon, meaning a special party room meeting later on Feb. 12 or 13 is now seen as the most likely moment for the tension to spill.

Former Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has added his thoughts to the mix, echoing Duniam’s demand that Taylor stop keep colleagues guessing.

“I think it is important to stand up and be counted,” he said, drawing on his past experience of challenging his predecessor Tony Abbott.

“If Angus wants to be leader of the Liberal Party, he should stand up and say so and say why, which is exactly what I did in the Senate courtyard nearly 11 years ago.”

When asked if Taylor was fit to lead the Liberals, Turnbull was careful.

“He is absolutely fit to be leader because the only qualification for being leader of the opposition is to be member of the House of Representatives,” he said.

Questions Over Taylor’s Possible Team

The leadership conflict has simmered since the Coalition’s latest three-week split, which coincided with the Liberal’s sliding popularity.

As speculation continues, attention has also shifted to who could partner Taylor in a leadership team.

Senator Jane Hume has been floated as a possible deputy, while other Liberal figures in the mix include Zoe McKenzie and Melissa McIntosh.

Yet McIntosh has distanced herself from any leadership ambitions.

“I’m not having any of those conversations with colleagues. I’m still in Shadow Cabinet. I’m not resigning today from that position,” she told Sky News Australia on Feb. 10.

Labor’s Response

At a caucus meeting in early February, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised Labor MPs for their discipline and unity, which he said contrasted with the Coalition’s instability.

He also said Labor’s priorities were to ensure sustainability in the system, deliver responsible economic management, and focus on reducing cost of living pressures for Australians.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers also took aim at Taylor and the Liberal’s leadership crisis at a parliamentary sitting on Feb. 10.

““The reason those opposite are in a real bind ... because half of the party room supports the Member for Hume and the other half have met him,” he said.

“And the other half have met him and they know that when it comes to their lack of economic credibility, the Member for Hume is part of the problem, not part of the solution.”

AAP contributed to this article.