Latest news with #MelissaPrice
West Australian
5 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Durack MP Melissa Price given science, cyber security in new Coalition shadow cabinet
Fifth-term Durack Liberal MP Melissa Price has been handed science and cyber security in the Coalition's new-look shadow cabinet. After the Liberal and Nationals parties reconciled after their Coalition 'divorce', Liberal leader Sussan Ley on Wednesday announced the make-up of the new team. Ms Price said she was honoured by her appointed shadow ministries and as a former science and technology minister had a wealth of knowledge and experience and proven track record in these areas. 'The opportunity to once again help guide Australia's scientific and technological future is an incredible honour,' she said. 'Serving in this portfolio was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. From announcing our partnership with NASA to sending an Australian rover to the Moon, I saw firsthand the opportunity, innovation and national pride that science brings.' The vast electorate Ms Price represents — the biggest in Australia at 4,000,000sqkm — has long been central to the nation's science story. 'Carnarvon played a vital role in the Apollo 11 mission and today, we are home to groundbreaking projects like the Square Kilometre Array in the Murchison and deep space communication facilities in New Norcia,' Ms Price said. As shadow minister for cyber security, Ms Price will also focus on one of Australia's most urgent national security challenges. 'In today's interconnected world, protecting our digital borders is as vital as defending our physical ones — cyber security is national security,' she said. 'I will continue to push for stronger cyber protections and greater investment in science because our future depends on how we face today's challenges and prepare for tomorrow.'
ABC News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Sussan Ley promises 'sensible centre'
Samantha Donovan: We start this evening with the election of the first woman to lead the Liberal Party in federal parliament. Sussan Ley had a narrow win over rival Angus Taylor, 29 votes to 25. She's describing herself as a leader for the sensible centre and now has the huge job of rebuilding the Liberal opposition after its disastrous showing at the federal election. Nick Grimm prepared this report. Sussan Ley: Feeling confident, looking forward to a Liberal Party party room meeting. Nick Grimm: A former punk rocker, one-time public servant turned aerial stock-mustering pilot, Sussan Ley has seen plenty of Liberal party room gatherings in her 24 years in federal parliament, but this might have been the one where she had most at stake. She arrived alone, as did her leadership opponent, though in an ill portent of how things might unfold, a locked door blocking Angus Taylor's access to the party room meeting. He soon found an alternative route, but it wasn't long until the party determined its own future course. Melissa Price: The Liberal Party has met and we have determined that the new leader of our Liberal Party is Sussan Ley, with 29 votes and Angus Taylor, 25. Nick Grimm: With just a few votes between them, the result was hardly a ringing endorsement from Sussan Ley's party colleagues, still battered and bruised from their election loss. Angus Taylor later releasing a written statement congratulating his new party leader and urging Liberals to unify and earn back the trust of Australian voters, while Sussan Ley offered this olive branch in return. Sussan Ley: Can I acknowledge Angus Taylor for putting his hand up to lead the Liberal Party. He would have been a fine leader of the Liberal Party at this time. Nick Grimm: Sussan Ley also revealing she'd given a hug to another colleague with leadership ambitions, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa-Price, who defected from the Nationals party room to stand as Angus Taylor's deputy. Ultimately though, she didn't put herself forward for that vote, which in the end saw Ted O'Brien emerge as the successful candidate. Meanwhile, the new Liberal leader says she plans to do things differently and bring a fresh approach to steering the party towards what she vows can be a competitive position at the election in three years' time. Sussan Ley: We have to have a Liberal Party that respects modern Australia, that reflects modern Australia and that represents modern Australia. And we have to meet the people where they are. And that's what I am committed to doing and what I'm determined to do. Nick Grimm: Asked whether the party will stick with its controversial plan for nuclear power or whether it will support net zero emissions reductions, she's promised to consult with her colleagues on energy policy, vowing there'll be no captain's picks under her leadership. And she dismisses suggestions she'll be a caretaker leader only for a party that needs to rebuild. Sussan Ley: I've heard those remarks and I find them interesting and 100% I will be here in three years, but more than that, we will be in a competitive position. Nick Grimm: And as the first woman chosen to lead her party through one of its most challenging periods in opposition wilderness, she had this when asked if she'll be confronted by the so-called glass cliff phenomenon. Sussan Ley: It's an interesting question, the glass cliff, and I actually don't accept it in my appointment. But I do say that it does send a signal to the women of Australia that the Liberal Party has elected its first woman leader. Nick Grimm: One of the key challenges facing the Liberals will lie in winning back a host of metropolitan seats lost at the election. And with that comes an acknowledgement a period of introspection will be necessary. Queensland MP Andrew Wallace. Andrew Wallace: The party room decided that Sussan was the best person to take us forward. You know, for those seats that, you know, like my own on the Sunshine Coast, that there was a very strong teal challenge. We need to understand better what was attracting people to vote for a teal. Nick Grimm: And there's been this from Victorian Liberal Aaron Violi. Aaron Violi: There are a lot of lessons from this result as a party we need to take and we have to do it as a collective. We have to work together to understand where we went wrong, why we were rejected by the Australian people. Be humble, listen, learn and move forward as a collective. It's the only way we can survive. Samantha Donovan: Victorian Liberal MP Aaron Violi. Nick Grimm with that report.
ABC News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Inside Sussan Ley's historic rise to Liberal Party leader
Chosen on Tuesday as the first woman to lead the federal parliamentary Liberal Party, Sussan Ley is assured of a place in history as breaker of the party's "glass ceiling". But politics has its own traditions, so another phrase may fit better: the "glass casing". When her portrait is hung on the party room wall, framed in glass, it will stand out at the end of a long line of distinguished Liberal men, stretching from Menzies to Dutton. The significance was not lost on the Liberals who sat under the gaze of those portraits to elect Ley by a narrow margin to lead them out of the ashes of a catastrophic defeat. "We shouldn't just paper over that," MP Melissa Price told the ABC. "It's exciting and exhilarating to think what we can achieve." Colleagues may prefer the word "daunting". Reduced to just 28 seats in the lower house, almost none of them in cities, the party is bracing for a long road back. It is why some see Ley's elevation as a "glass cliff", the choice of a woman to lead at a thankless time when few think she will survive long enough to win. The new leader brushed off that phrase in her first appearance as leader, saying her leadership was about "much more" than gender but adding it would "send a signal to the women of Australia". But even as she said she would "100 per cent" be in the role and in "a competitive position" in three years' time, she asked to be given "the time to get it right". "You might hear me saying, 'Take the time to get it right' quite a lot this morning, because that's really important," she said. It is not the first time Sussan Ley has followed Peter Dutton. In her first cabinet role, she replaced him as health minister in the Abbott government. Then, as now, there was damage control to be done. Dutton's effort to mandate a $7 payment for GP visits was one of the least popular elements of Mr Abbott's unpopular first budget, so much so that it was used against him to devastating effect a decade later in the 2025 election campaign. Ley's three-year tenure was not so eventful but ended in controversy, demoted after she was sprung using a taxpayer-funded flight to buy a house on the Gold Coast, one of three she now owns. After a brief tenure in the outer ministry, Ley returned as the environment minister in the Morrison government, a role she held until its defeat. She then held the skills portfolio as deputy, and has also had responsibility for community services, agriculture, education, housing, justice, small business and regional development over a long and varied parliamentary career. That career began in 2001, when she was elected to the enormous seat of Farrer in regional NSW, replacing former deputy prime minister and Nationals leader, Tim Fischer. When she delivered her first speech, this time just a few minutes before Dutton, she spoke of an unusual and varied background. Born in Nigeria and spending her early years in the Middle East, she arrived with her British parents as a migrant, settling in Canberra. She trained as a pilot and worked as an air traffic controller and then an aerial stock musterer, before she came "down to earth" as a shearer's cook. "I learned the value of a hard day's work in the hot sun," she said. "I learnt the real value of, and the dignity of, manual labour. "And I always said there was no better wisdom than the wisdom of the shearers in their singlets sitting at the huts and the end of a hard, hard day." At some time in this period, the punk rock enthusiast also changed her name, adding an "s" in what she told The Australian in 2015 was inspired by a "numerology" expert who told her she would have an "incredibly exciting, interesting life" with the change. Her shift to politics and policy came via an economics degree at La Trobe University, which landed her a job at the Australian Taxation Office in Albury. Living on a farm and working in a regional centre gave her an understanding of the economic challenges of an urbanising and modernising Australia, with many in the bush feeling left behind. "Albury is strong and vibrant and needs to continue to grow, [but] too often we see regional centres acting like a sponge, soaking up services, shopping and industry from the towns around them", she told the parliament in her first speech, with big cities doing the same thing in turn to the regional centres. "There is a growing communication gap between city and country. "It cuts both ways. "We rural citizens need to show more of our city fellows what it is like out here … I want to promote rural and regional Australia as a place to live, work and raise a family, recognising its value to the identity and wellbeing of our nation." The words echo into the present day, with Ley and her Liberals now facing difficulties with the communication gap in the other direction after the Dutton landslide. Of the remaining 28 lower house Liberals, 16 represent regional or rural areas, as do the 15 lower house Nationals who round out the Coalition. Moderates including Andrew Bragg and Dave Sharma, who are likely to have key roles in her shadow cabinet, and defeated urban MPs including Keith Wolahan, have urged a rethink of how the party connects with urban voters, especially women. Ms Ley said on Tuesday she believed the gap was not so great as she had framed it 24 years earlier. "I know that different electorates have different characteristics, but I do also know that the timeless values of the Liberal Party in terms of how we present our agenda can be equally adopted, accepted, and understood across those electorates," she said. But as she acknowledged, the challenge of reconnecting with voters will be about policy as well as values. There will be many challenges. Although Ley and her deputy, fellow regional MP Ted O'Brien, were billed as the more moderate alternatives in a contest against conservatives Angus Taylor and Phil Thompson, O'Brien is the architect of the party's unpopular nuclear policy. The future of that policy is unclear as the National Party and some Liberals suggest net zero should be looked at. On Tuesday, Ley said only that everything was on the table and no decision would be hers alone. "I committed to my colleagues that there would be no captain's calls from anywhere by me," she said. "I also committed … that we would work through every single policy issue and canvas the different views. "We will listen and we will take the positions that we need to at the appropriate time".
West Australian
05-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Liberal MP Melissa Price to represent Durack for fifth term despite increased Labor support nationwide
Despite Labor claiming a strong victory in the Federal election, regional voters, including those in Durack, have again turned their backs on the Government, with Liberal MP Melissa Price re-elected for a fifth term. As of Monday morning, Ms Price had 32.4 per cent of first-preference votes, which led to her leading 59.9 per cent to Labor candidate Karen Wheatland's 40.1 per cent on a two-party preferred basis. The result in Durack, which saw a swing towards the Liberal party of 5.3 per cent, went against the national trend, which was a 2.6 per cent swing towards Labor, according to the Australian Electoral Commission. In declaring her victory, Ms Price conceded it was bittersweet, saying the Liberals would have 'some soul-searching to do' in the wake of Labor's landslide national victory. 'We keep talking about this rebuild. I'm certainly hoping that I've been able to do a rebuild,' she said. 'I had a 15 per cent margin before the last election. Most of us lost 10 per cent. I ended up on a 4.7 per cent margin. Hopefully, I'm going to get back up to 15 per cent, so I'd like to say, I've rebuilt, but I've got a lot more to do. 'There's a long way to go and certainly the Liberal Party has to do some soul-searching and I want to be a key part of that … I'm up for the fight.' Ms Price's victory in Durack — Australia's biggest electorate at 1.4 million square kilometres — means she will sit for a fifth term in Parliament, equalling her predecessor Barry Haase. The result also means the electorate remains a Liberal seat, having been so since its inception. 'I think what that says about the Durack community, even though I'm in Opposition, I've still been their voice,' she said. 'The Liberal brand has stood up in Geraldton and that's actually the thing that I'm most proud of.' The results nationwide show Labor has been popular in the metropolitan areas while support for the Coalition appeared to be stronger in regional areas. The trend follows what occurred in the WA State election, where regional WA mostly voted for either the Liberals or the Nationals, including in Geraldton and the Mid West. Three out of the four regional WA electorates were won by the Liberals. Every polling booth in the Mid West — except Rangeway, which was a 50-50 split between Liberal and Labor — was in Ms Price's favour. Labor was leading in many of the booths in the Pilbara and Kimberley. Ms Price, who spent the majority of time at her election night function poring over incoming polling booth numbers on a whiteboard, vowed to continue to be a voice for her electorate. 'I know what I need to do and it is continuously hold the Labor Government to account and when they say they're going to do something when they don't is make a noise about that. 'Keep the Sheep is as a classic example of that — myself and (Liberal O'Connor MP) Rick Wilson, we were out there a long time before anybody was doing anything about Keep the Sheep, and I feel like we really pushed the farming community to stand up for themselves. 'I still have a voice for regional Western Australia and that's what I intend to do going forward.' Ms Price said it was 'heartbreaking' to see Opposition leader Peter Dutton lose his own seat, saying he had been a 'fabulous' leader. She said it was too early to speculate on party leadership as the outcomes of some seats were still in the balance. As chief opposition whip, Ms Price will co-ordinate the formal partyroom meeting to elect a new leader. In conceding defeat, Ms Wheatland said she and her team had given their all. 'Over the past months, I've travelled thousands of kilometres across this vast electorate — the biggest in Australia — often with little more than a hire car, a backpack, and a whole lot of heart,' she said. 'With minimal resources, a tiny (but mighty) team, and incredible volunteers, we built something real. I listened, I learned, and I saw just how much people care about their future. 'This wasn't just a campaign, it was a reminder of what matters: showing up, doing the work, and staying connected to community.' Nationals candidate Bailey Kempton also had a strong showing with 13.6 per cent of first-preference votes, and early on was neck-and-neck with Ms Wheatland. Mr Kempton said he was proud of the result, but promised to continue to support regional communities despite the loss. 'It's clear that the people of Durack are looking for a different approach, and the result here has been a rejection of Albanese and his relentless attacks on our regional communities,' he said. 'My heart is with our sheep farmers and those involved in the industry that is the beating heart of many regional communities, and who have been unfairly targeted by Albanese. 'I promise to continue standing up for those left behind by Labor.' Mr Kempton had a less than ideal preparation to Saturday's election, having to replace corflutes which were allegedly taken down by Labor volunteers on election eve. Photos obtained by the Geraldton Guardian show Liberal and Nationals signage stacked near bushes, where Mr Kempton alleged they were removed and replaced with Labor signage. He said he was disappointed with the situation in an otherwise amicable campaign amongst the parties. 'When you put at least five hours working in throughout the night to do a really good job of putting signage up and do the right thing; when you think you've achieved that, you're trying to wrap it up in the early hours of the morning and you realise that a big portion of your work has been undone, it's very disappointing to be honest,' Mr Kempton said. In Geraldton, the prepoll effect meant fewer people were queuing to vote on election day, with 14,169 placing their votes early. Despite the lower turnout and some rain, democracy sausages were flying off the barbecues, with a number of schools raising funds for school trips later this year. Allendale Primary School said multiple trips to Coles had to be taken to replenish stocks on the day as the Year 6 students raised funds for their Perth trip. Meanwhile, Wandina Primary School students raised funds for their annual Coral Bay trip.
West Australian
01-05-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
2025 Federal election: Durack candidates have their final say ahead of polls on Saturday
Ahead of the 2025 Federal election on Saturday, the Geraldton Guardian reached out to the nine candidates in the Durack electorate so they could deliver their final pitch to voters. Here's what they had to say on why they deserve your vote, in order of how they appear on the ballot. Melissa Price (Liberal) I've had the privilege of representing Durack since 2013. Over the past 12 years, I've worked hard to deliver the infrastructure and services our vast electorate deserves — better roads, mobile coverage, NBN upgrades, and support for local mining and council projects. I am proud of the Liberal Party's strong commitment to mental health, including new headspace centres across Durack, which are making a real difference for young people and families. One of my proudest achievements is helping establish the Pilbara Kimberley University Centre, which is transforming access to regional education and workforce development. My team and I have helped thousands of constituents resolve complex issues with Centrelink, the NDIS, veterans services and immigration. We live here, we understand the challenges, and we care deeply about the people we serve. This Saturday, I ask for your support to continue delivering for Durack with experience, energy and determination and a Liberal government ready to get Australia back on track. Kat Wright (Legalise Cannabis) Lisa Simpson once said: 'The whole damn system is wrong.' And let's be honest — she's right. In Durack and across regional Australia, people are doing it tough while the same old systems protect the few and leave the rest of us behind. Whether it's housing, jobs, farming, or climate — what we have isn't working. It's time for a reset. That's why I'm running for the Legalise Cannabis Party — not just to legalise hemp, but to use it to build something better. Hemp can power real, grassroots reform: affordable housing made from hempcrete, jobs in regional processing, regenerative farming that heals our land, and a circular economy where waste becomes opportunity. This isn't a pipedream — it's a practical, profitable and sustainable path forward that starts right here in Durack. Martin Luther King Jr warned us against political apathy when he said: 'If you fail to act now, history will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clammer of the bad people but the appalling silence of the good people.' I won't be silent. I will stand up because our system needs fixing. Together we can overGROW the government. Bailey Kempton (Nationals) During the aftermath of cyclone Seroja, I witnessed the neglect that regional people face even during crises. In Durack, we work hard, and we love where we live, but we get only a fraction back of what we contribute to the nation's economy. We're being let down by the Government, and we need a different approach. We deserve access to quality health care, education and to travel on well-maintained roads. It's clear that families are struggling with the cost of living and need real action that will help their back pocket now, not in 15 months. By halving fuel excise, we will provide immediate relief to those who need it most. I decided to run for politics after becoming tired of watching these issues persist without change. The current Government seems unconcerned about the opinions of Australians, especially those outside the city. This is confirmed through recent remarks by a senior Labor member about the Voice being inevitable, despite the referendum result. My campaign has been about stepping up, engaging with the community, hearing your concerns and offering a different choice. Durack needs someone with common sense who won't back down in the fight because where we live is worth fighting for. Mark Berry (One Nation) Durack stands at a crossroads. We can stick with the same failed policies that have made life harder, or we can choose a new path —one that puts everyday Australians first. For too long, both major parties have put ideology ahead of common sense. They've driven up the cost of living, neglected essential services and allowed our freedoms to erode. That must end. As your One Nation candidate, I won't make empty promises. I will fight to reduce the tax burden on working Australians and eliminate billions in government waste. I stand for real reform — not more bureaucracy. Freedom of speech must be protected. It's a cornerstone of our democracy, and I will work to enshrine it in our Constitution. The major parties won't defend this right — but I will. As a proud Australian Army veteran, I served this country to protect our values. I won't stand by while they're stripped away. This election is about reclaiming our voice, restoring our freedoms and building a fairer future for all Australians. With your support and trust, we can lead that change — together. Jason Hunter (Indigenous — Aboriginal Party of Australia) As a Nykina man, I'm running to finally put First Nations voices at the heart of Durack's future. For too long, our communities have been sidelined while politicians treat Indigenous issues as political wedges. My first priority is protecting the Martuwarra (Fitzroy River) and all our precious waterways from fracking and over-extraction, respecting 60,000 years of Indigenous water stewardship that major parties continue to ignore. The cost-of-living crisis demands more than temporary rebates. I'll fight to break the Coles/Woolworths duopoly through enforced ACCC reforms and invest in regional food security projects to actually lower prices at the checkout. Unlike the majors who protect mining profits, I'll make corporations pay their fair share to fund lasting solutions. On housing, I'll push to tax vacant properties, cap investor tax perks, and expand safe caravan park spaces for those struggling to find homes. For health care, we'll clean contaminated water supplies and replace punitive approaches with proper mental health support and preventative care focused on nutrition and healthy living. Durack deserves an economy beyond mining booms. I'll champion sustainable industries like hemp and renewables, fight to keep rural hospitals open, and create Indigenous-led housing and education programs with real job pathways. Healing country begins when traditional knowledge guides decision-making. After generations of empty promises, I'll bring that change to Canberra. Maarten Kornaat (Trumpet of Patriots) Putting Australians First. I will fight to ease the cost of living by introducing a 15 per cent iron ore mining levy, with proceeds used to reduce national debt and raise the tax-free income threshold. Education must be a right, not a burden — university will be free for Australian citizens, and all HECS debts will be forgiven. Government waste will be addressed through a full audit, with spending redirected to benefit Australian citizens and interests. I will fight to restore freedom by reducing government overreach, eliminating red tape, and empowering individuals and small businesses, especially in regional areas. Farmers must be free to farm, and doctors free to heal patients without interference. A royal commission into the government's COVID-19 response will be launched to identify failings, ensure accountability and learnings will be implemented to protect our rights. Australia's sovereignty comes first. I will review all international memberships, including with the WEF (World Economic Forum) and WHO, to ensure they align with national interests. All public-private partnerships will be audited to guarantee they serve the Australian people — not foreign or corporate agendas. I will be listening to and addressing the concerns of the people of Durack. Let's shape the future of Australia together! Karen Wheatland (Labor) I'm running because Durack deserves better — better health care, better jobs and a future our kids can actually afford. Real change doesn't happen from the sidelines. It happens when you're in the room, helping to make the decisions that matter. Voting Labor is the best way to get things done — on cost of living, climate, housing, health care — all the everyday big stuff. The Albanese Labor Government has a real plan to deliver cost-of-living relief, build more things right here, and make housing more accessible. Labor's already delivering — from Medicare Urgent Care Clinics to major road upgrades — and I want to keep Durack moving forward, not backwards under Peter Dutton. I've lived the life so many in Durack are living right now. I've worked the boats, raised my kids on my own, and fought hard to survive each day. I know what it's like to be stretched, doing your best, and still turning up. That's the kind of representative I'll be — someone who shows up, fights smart, and never forgets where they came from. Durack deserves someone who gets it. I do. And I'm ready to get to work. Brendan Sturcke (Greens) Durack is a remarkable electorate, my time as a farmhand and in the mining industry has created deep ties with the area and I'm excited to be able to offer people the opportunity to vote for real change. We know farmers and fishers are some of the most affected by the climate crisis and supermarket price gouging, which is why we're pushing for stronger climate action and strengthening protections like making the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct mandatory. As I've travelled across the electorate, the overwhelming feedback I've been receiving is people are feeling abandoned by the Government. We know local communities have the answers to the problems they're facing, we need to be listening and working with people on the ground to find meaningful solutions. Now isn't the time to be tinkering around the edges, the majority of people are struggling with housing, cost of living, and health and the Government must act. The Greens are the only party taking real action on the climate and cost-of-living crises. This election is a pivotal moment in history, not only for the planet but also the people of Durack. Nothing changes if you don't vote for it. Australian Christians candidate Eugenie Harris did not respond to the Geraldton Guardian's request for comment.
