Natalie Barr asks Jane Hume if her demotion from the Liberal frontbench was 'payback' for her WFH policy

News.com.au

3 days ago

Dumped Liberal frontbencher Jane Hume has revealed she feels 'hurt' over her demotion but is preparing to 'straighten her tiara' and get on with the job.
Appearing on Sunrise this morning, she has made her first public comments since her dumping emerged as the biggest shock of Liberal leader Sussan Ley's new frontbench.
It followed a rocky campaign for Senator Hume who was seen as responsible for the loss of seats over her disastrous work from home policy that was dumped mid-campaign and her bizarre claim that Chinese spies were working at ALP polling booths.
'Do you think this was payback from Sussan Ley for the role you played in the work-from-home policy,'' Sunrise host Nat Barr asked this morning.
'Nat, if you're asking me whether I feel hurt or slighted by this move from Sussan, of course it hurts,'' Senator Hume said.
'It hurts professionally because I was a hard-working and prolific and high-profile member of the frontbench in the previous Opposition.
'It hurts personally, too, because you know, Sussan and I are friends. This isn't the playground.
'This is the Parliament. I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to make a difference. I'm here to fight for the future of your kids, my kids, their kids for freedom and choice and personal responsibility and reward for effort and the importance of small business and the dangers of big government.
'I will continue to do that everyday from whatever position I am in. And, in fact, there is something very liberating about being on the backbench and being able to speak without having to stick to the party line and without having to stick to talking points.
'That's certainly going to make for much more interesting Sunrise interviews. So, you're very lucky, I think.'
Senator Hume then outlined the advice her mum always gave her when she experienced turbulence in life.
'As my very wise mother would say, 'Stop your nonsense, chin up, chest out, straighten your tiara and let's get on with the job,'' she said.
'The most important thing we can all do here now is get behind Sussan Ley, put our shoulders to the wheel. Because there's a very big task ahead of us. Not only to win back the hearts and minds and votes of Australians but also to hold this terrible government to account and that's exactly what I am going to be doing everyday and every single one of my colleagues are going to be doing everyday.'
It comes after Ms Ley shot down suggestions the decision to dump Senator Hume was a 'get square' for the moderate MP backing Angus Taylor.
'Absolutely not. I'm not going to reflect on the qualities of individuals with respect to the qualities of other individuals. I don't think that's a fair question,'' Ms Ley said.
'And I don't think the premise of it is reasonable. What I will repeat is that having spoken to every single member of my 54-member party room today, I know that we have harnessed the talent that we need in this shadow ministry going forward but that there is a role for every single person.
'Opposition is not about hierarchies. It's not about structure. It's about getting every player on the field, fighting the fight, because this is not about the internals you've spoken of. This is about how we go out there to work hard for the Australian people.'
Deputy Liberal leader Ted O'Brien will take on the role of treasury spokesman while leadership aspirant Angus Taylor has been shifted from Shadow Treasurer to Defence.
James Paterson has been promoted to the Coalition spokesman for finance, government services, and the public service.
Future leadership aspirant Andrew Hastie, who had asked to move from defence into an economics or social services role, has been promoted to the spokesman for home affairs.
Former Nationals leaders Barnaby Joyce and Michael McCormack have been hit with demotions from the frontbench.
Ley lashed over decision to dump four women
As the dust settles from the shake-up, Liberals have pointed out there are now fewer women in the shadow cabinet than under Peter Dutton.
There are now eight women in a 27-strong shadow cabinet - an enormous frontbench given the dwindling size of the opposition ranks in Parliament.
By comparison, there were 11 women in Mr Dutton's 23-strong shadow cabinet prior to the election of Sussan Ley although a large number of new faces have been promoted to the outer ministry.
'I feel for Jane Hume, she's just collateral damage,'' a Liberal MP and supporter of Angus Taylor in the leadership ballot said.
But Senator Hume's position is particularly curious, because while Mr Taylor's group believes she voted for him in the secret ballot, Ms Ley's supporters insist the moderate voted for her.
A similar mystery has emerged over exactly who Senator Hume has voted for in previous ballots leading to questions over her factional allegiances.
A regular on Channel 7's Sunrise, she angered colleagues during the election over her claim 'Chinese spies' were working at voting booths for the ALP along with the work from home debacle.
She also emerged in 2022 and in 2025 as a potential candidate for the deputy leadership.
'We think Jane did vote for Sussan. It's not a punishment,'' a supporter of Ms Ley said.
But other MPs claim that there was a falling out between the two women, amid claims Senator Hume had accused Ms Ley's faction of backgrounding against her.
Peter Dutton spotted on a commercial flight
Meanwhile a video of former Liberal leader Peter Dutton on a Qantas flight has emerged.
In the video posted on TikTok, Mr Dutton is spotted giving some serious side eye to the person filming him.
The footage was posted by Australian singer and songwriter Miss Kaninna.