Latest news with #AngusTaylor
The Age
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Age
Size of Labor victory frees up backbenchers to speak out
On election eve, then-Liberal frontbencher Jane Hume was asked whether Angus Taylor was a future leader. In response, she delivered a political phrase for the ages: 'You do not read the entrails until you have gutted the chicken.' Remarkably, seconds later, she came close to outdoing herself: 'Democracy sausages are my favourite meal. If I was on death row and they asked me what my last meal would be? A sausage in bread with onion and tomato sauce.' Which was not, as it turned out, an entirely inaccurate metaphor for a Liberal frontbencher to use on May 3. Especially not Hume, who as of last week is no longer a frontbencher. Naturally, she responded to this news with a series of quotable quotes: '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'.' One way she will do that is, apparently, by saying what she wants – which is 'certainly going to make for much more interesting Sunrise interviews.' An interesting feature of Labor's stunningly strong election result is how much freedom backbenchers on both sides now have – should they choose to use it. In the last parliament, Labor's slim majority – as well as its anxiousness not to repeat the chaos of the Rudd-Gillard years – imposed discipline. A similar thing happened in the Coalition, from the opposite direction: returning to government felt so close and nobody wanted to be the one to wreck things. Now, for opposite reasons, backbenchers on both sides can speak their mind: Labor MPs because their side is so unlikely to lose in 2028, and Coalition MPs because theirs is so unlikely to win. Which leads to a minor paradox: at a time when Labor's leadership is stronger than ever, it may face a cacophony of voices louder than in its first term. This will require adjustment from Labor's cabinet. But it will require adjustment from the rest of us too. The past fortnight gave some sense of just how hard such an adjustment will be. Most of the political class spent the weeks immediately following the election loudly pointing out that, as it turned out, 'unity' was not always that useful, and in fact could be hugely counterproductive. And yet suddenly, faced with a split between the Nationals and the Liberals, most of the talk was of the importance of restoring unity ASAP. Conventional wisdom dies hard. Time will deliver its verdict on whether immediately reuniting those two parties was the smart move. Meanwhile, the rest of us – media and voters – should consider how we will treat all the newly raised voices in this term of parliament. As disastrous signs of instability or as interesting contributions to necessary debate? Over on the Labor side, the controversy around the government's increased taxation on superannuation earnings of the rich has given us some clues as to how it is adjusting to its new position of strength.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Size of Labor victory frees up backbenchers to speak out
On election eve, then-Liberal frontbencher Jane Hume was asked whether Angus Taylor was a future leader. In response, she delivered a political phrase for the ages: 'You do not read the entrails until you have gutted the chicken.' Remarkably, seconds later, she came close to outdoing herself: 'Democracy sausages are my favourite meal. If I was on death row and they asked me what my last meal would be? A sausage in bread with onion and tomato sauce.' Which was not, as it turned out, an entirely inaccurate metaphor for a Liberal frontbencher to use on May 3. Especially not Hume, who as of last week is no longer a frontbencher. Naturally, she responded to this news with a series of quotable quotes: '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'.' One way she will do that is, apparently, by saying what she wants – which is 'certainly going to make for much more interesting Sunrise interviews.' An interesting feature of Labor's stunningly strong election result is how much freedom backbenchers on both sides now have – should they choose to use it. In the last parliament, Labor's slim majority – as well as its anxiousness not to repeat the chaos of the Rudd-Gillard years – imposed discipline. A similar thing happened in the Coalition, from the opposite direction: returning to government felt so close and nobody wanted to be the one to wreck things. Now, for opposite reasons, backbenchers on both sides can speak their mind: Labor MPs because their side is so unlikely to lose in 2028, and Coalition MPs because theirs is so unlikely to win. Which leads to a minor paradox: at a time when Labor's leadership is stronger than ever, it may face a cacophony of voices louder than in its first term. This will require adjustment from Labor's cabinet. But it will require adjustment from the rest of us too. The past fortnight gave some sense of just how hard such an adjustment will be. Most of the political class spent the weeks immediately following the election loudly pointing out that, as it turned out, 'unity' was not always that useful, and in fact could be hugely counterproductive. And yet suddenly, faced with a split between the Nationals and the Liberals, most of the talk was of the importance of restoring unity ASAP. Conventional wisdom dies hard. Time will deliver its verdict on whether immediately reuniting those two parties was the smart move. Meanwhile, the rest of us – media and voters – should consider how we will treat all the newly raised voices in this term of parliament. As disastrous signs of instability or as interesting contributions to necessary debate? Over on the Labor side, the controversy around the government's increased taxation on superannuation earnings of the rich has given us some clues as to how it is adjusting to its new position of strength.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
‘Treaty of Versailles': angry Liberal MPs warn makeup of Coalition shadow ministry will make new enemies
A rump of Liberal MPs are fuming over the makeup of the new shadow ministry, warning the perceived rewarding of supporters and sidelining of factional rivals was a 'Treaty of Versailles'-type peace deal that would cause long-term unrest. One Liberal MP said the appointments would 'create enemies', setting up an early challenge for new leader Sussan Ley as she attempts to rebuild the party. After striking a deal with the Nationals to reunite the Coalition, Ley is facing an internal backlash after dumping senior figures in favour of a new breed of MPs in a major reshaping of the Peter Dutton-era frontbench. Liberal sources said the makeup of the frontbench could be viewed as a mix of moderates and people who were 'very close' to Ley – such as Alex Hawke – and the 'flag bearers' for the party's right wing, who needed to be retained in senior roles to preserve a degree of factional balance. This group included Angus Taylor, James Paterson, Andrew Hastie and Michaelia Cash. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email While the most high-profile demotion, Jane Hume, is from the party's moderate flank, arguably the biggest losers were the conservatives. Sarah Henderson was relegated to the backbench while Jacinta Nampijinpa Price was demoted to the outer shadow ministry. Claire Chandler will also sit on the backbench after being forced out of shadow cabinet. Price claimed some of the appointments were not based on 'merit' as she expressed disappointment with her demotion on Sky News. A group of younger conservative MPs, including Henry Pike, Cameron Caldwell and Garth Hamilton, were all overlooked as Ley handed junior portfolios to moderates such as Maria Kovacic, Dave Sharma and Gisele Kapterian, subject to her winning Bradfield. Other ambitious backbenchers such as Aaron Violi and Simon Kennedy also missed out. Veteran rightwinger Tony Pasin – a key backroom player in Taylor's failed leadership tilt – was demoted as expected. Moderates Tim Wilson, Andrew Bragg and Angie Bell were among the biggest winners after promotions to shadow cabinet. The reaction to the shadow ministry presents an immediate test for Ley as she tries to rebuild from the 3 May election disaster. One conservative MP said the shadow ministry was more 'Treaty of Versailles than Marshall Plan' – a historical reference used to suggest the appointments would cause ongoing angst. The Treaty of Versailles was the peace deal between Germany and the allies that followed the first world war. The harsh conditions imposed on Germany were considered to have laid the foundations for the second world war. The Marshall Plan was the US-led initiative to help rebuild Europe after the second world war. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion Asked for their view on the shadow ministry, another MP who missed out on a senior role referenced former Liberal prime minister's Tony Abbott's old saying about reshuffles. 'The Abbott truism that reshuffles create enemies will live out this term,' they said. In a blitz of morning television and radio on Thursday, Ley defended her frontbench choices and decision to promote more moderate voices. Ley called Price 'a real talent' and said she had 'a new, expanded role' in a critical area. 'I'm excited by the role Jacinta will play in that, and I've had a great chat with her about that role and as part of my team, she's excited to go forward with it,' she told 4BC radio. Ley on Radio National dodged several questions about Price's claims that 'merit' was not rewarded in the reshuffle, repeatedly declining to address her claims directly. 'She is part of that team. She's an incredible Australian in terms of her ability to connect. But I'm very proud of my team,' Ley said in response. Senator James Paterson, the new shadow finance minister, conceded on Radio National that while merit was the most important issue in a frontbench reshuffle, 'I'd be lying if I said merit is the only consideration' – calling it a 'political process' where leaders had to balance geographical, gender and party room factors. 'I'm disappointed on behalf of Sarah [Henderson], in particular, who did a great job in her portfolio and is a valued colleague as well, and Jacinta, understandably, would have preferred to be in shadow cabinet. We would all like to be in shadow cabinet,' he said. Asked about future unity in the Coalition party room, Paterson said ideas would have to be 'robustly tested' inside the party. Arguably the biggest internal fight for the Coalition this term will be over whether to dump or retain the net zero by 2050 target. In his latest intervention in the debate, the Nationals senator, Matt Canavan, published a bizarre anime-style video with the tagline 'dark Nats rise' and promising to 'defeat net zero'. Accompanied by a song with some lyrics in Japanese, the translation on screen includes lines like 'our nation needs a hero to defeat the net zero' and 'We rise, we fight, dark Nats burning through the night', with animation of men destroying wind turbines and solar panels.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Sussan Ley and David Littleproud need this frontbench lineup to heal Coalition wounds. It will be anything but easy
After what can only be described as an awful start to a new opposition term, Sussan Ley and David Littleproud stood side by side on Wednesday to name a new Coalition frontbench. Like an estranged couple who get back together after admitting what they really think of each other, the two leaders awkwardly sought to put their damaging but short-lived split behind them. But for both Ley and Littleproud, this early step was also a test of leadership, and showed up the deep divisions in both parties. Ley had to look after both her own supporters and those who backed Angus Taylor, the new shadow defence minister, in the tight Liberal leadership ballot. Littleproud had to force generational change in the Nationals, as he faces growing unhappiness and loose chatter of a challenge from former frontbenchers Barnaby Joyce and Michael McCormack. Ley said her choices reflect the full range of philosophical traditions, values and perspectives within the Coalition, and promised to harness her team's full 'intellectual and philosophical firepower'. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Some of the appointments are promising. Julian Leeser returns as shadow attorney general, after quitting the frontbench over Peter Dutton's position on the voice to parliament. James Paterson and Andrew Hastie move to broaden their experience, taking on finance and home affairs respectively, while Tim Wilson returns to shadow cabinet in industrial relations. Angie Bell and Andrew Bragg both move up the ranks. Ley punted conservative diehards Sarah Henderson, Tony Pasin and Claire Chandler, and promoted up and comers Maria Kovacic and Zoe McKenzie. Promising talent including Aaron Violi missed out this time. For his part, Littleproud moved Joyce and McCormack on, talking up generation renewal while promoting Ross Cadell and Anne Webster. Liberal Jane Hume was among the biggest losers of Wednesday's announcement. Smart, capable and energetic, Hume paid the price for Dutton's work-from-home policy, a political stink bomb that went off just in time to alienate voters who thought their own flexible work arrangements were under threat. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion A former public servant herself, Ley promised to respect the bureaucracy as opposition leader. She said Hume would still have a lot to offer from the backbench. Similarly, Nationals defector Jacinta Nampijinpa Price's Doge portfolio is gone, and she is demoted out of shadow cabinet with defence industry and defence personnel. She angered both the Liberals and the Nationals by switching party rooms to run on Taylor's ticket, only to sit out the vote for deputy leader after he lost to Ley. More broadly, the Coalition is showing early signs of moving away from Trump-inspired policy, recognition of how badly links to the unpopular US president played for Dutton at the election. While we shouldn't expect a return to the Make Australia Great Again agenda anytime soon, Paterson is sure to be tough on wasteful spending in his new job in the finance portfolio. Immigration faces a Coalition reset too. Dan Tehan is moved to energy, and Queenslander Paul Scarr takes on managing overseas arrivals and international students. Scarr, a smart details-oriented lawyer, is expected to bring an economic focus to the portfolio, putting aside the culture wars of the past term. Net zero by 2050 policies will be an early test of any newfound Coalition harmony. Both parties are split on carbon emissions, even as Labor promises to use the next three or six years to push ahead with the transition to renewables. Leaders rarely win many friends in frontbench reshuffles. In addition to winning back millions of voters lost on 3 May, Ley and Littleproud need this lineup to heal party wounds and aid the long road back to relevance with voters. It will be anything but easy. Tom McIlroy is chief political correspondent for Guardian Australia
ABC News
7 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Jane Hume, Sarah Henderson dumped as Sussan Ley unveils shadow cabinet with David Littleproud
Sussan Ley has dumped Jane Hume from the Coalition frontbench and moved leadership rival Angus Taylor out of his role as shadow treasurer as part of a new-look opposition frontbench which also sees Jacinta Nampijinpa Price demoted. Ms Ley unveiled her shadow ministry on Wednesday alongside Nationals Leader David Littleproud, after the pair salvaged the alliance between their two parties. Liberal deputy Ted O'Brien will become the shadow treasurer and Mr Taylor will move to defence to replace Andrew Hastie, who will in turn take the home affairs portfolio from James Paterson. Senator Paterson will move to finance, the role previously held by Jane Hume who has been booted from the line-up. Ms Ley denied the move was politically motivated, given Senator Hume's support for Angus Taylor and criticism from colleagues about her handling of the work from home issue during the election campaign. "She is an enormously talented, fantastic member of this team who has contributed amazingly over her political career [and] will continue to do so," Ms Ley said. Fellow Victorian senator Sarah Henderson was also dumped from the frontbench, with Jonathon Duniam to take her education portfolio. Angie Bell shifts into environment, while Michaelia Cash will hold the foreign affairs portfolio and Dan Tehan will be responsible for energy. The new ministry sees several key backers of Sussan Ley rewarded, including Alex Hawke who returns to the frontbench in the industry portfolio, and prominent moderate Andrew Bragg who will be responsible for housing and productivity. But Senator Price has been moved out of the shadow cabinet after she ruffled feathers across the Coalition when she sensationally switched from the Nationals to the Liberals to run for the deputy position, which she ultimately did not do. Her new portfolio of defence industry will be in the outer shadow ministry. The Nationals leadership team of David Littleproud, Kevin Hogan and Bridget McKenzie will all hold their frontbench portfolios in agriculture, trade, and infrastructure. Susan McDonald will remain in the resources portfolio, while Darren Chester moves into the veterans portfolio to replace Barnaby Joyce, who moves with Michael McCormack to the backbench. Pat Conagahn will move into the outer ministry for the Nationals as shadow assistant treasurer. Matt Canavan, who challenged Mr Littleproud for the Nationals leadership after the election, does not have a portfolio. Four Liberals will join the frontbench, with Tim Wilson in employment, Kerrynne Liddle in social services and Indigenous affairs, Julian Leeser as shadow attorney-general, and James McGrath responsible for electoral matters and cities. Several women have been promoted into assistant or outer portfolios, including Melissa Price in science, Zoe McKenzie in education and mental health, Leah Blyth in families, and Maria Kovacic in family violence. Gisele Kapterian will hold an assistant role in the communications portfolio if she is elected to the seat of Bradfield. Scott Buchholz moves into the outer ministry in the skills portfolio, as does Jason Wood in the Pacific portfolio. Conservatives Claire Chandler and Tony Pasin have lost their assistant spots, while Dave Sharma will be assistant spokesperson for competition and treasury. Aaron Violi, Garth Hamilton and Simon Kennedy are among those who were considered in the frame for assistant roles but missed out. Ms Ley said every Coalition MP and senator had "a role to play, even if they are not formally in the line-up" but said the leadership team "draws on a deep well of Australian experience... Our team is one of strivers and optimists, of leaders and listeners... "The new Coalition shadow ministry balances experiences with new talent. It reflects the full range of our philosophical traditions, values and perspectives across our two great party rooms."
