Talks between Andrew Hastie and Angus Taylor to reach a deal on replacing Opposition Leader Sussan Ley have ended in a stalemate.
Hastie, Taylor and the other three right-wingers – senators James Paterson, Jonno Duniam and Matt O’Sullivan – met at a house in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs before the funeral of former Liberal MP Katie Allen.
More details about the meeting are expected later on Thursday, but one source familiar with the talks gave this masthead a brief readout of the high-stakes meeting.
They said there was no outcome yet on whether Taylor, 59, or Hastie, 43, would run as the Right faction challenger for the Liberal leadership.
The source said more talks would be needed between the pair, who are friends despite the recent leadership friction.
A source close to Hastie said they believed the matter was moving in the West Australian MP’s direction as they push for Taylor to concede to his younger colleague.
Hastie arrived in a car with Duniam, and O’Sullivan, while Taylor arrived alone later on. They all emerged from the home with Paterson and headed to Allen’s funeral.
Duniam is Hastie’s housemate in Canberra, while O’Sullivan is a friend from Perth. Paterson is close to both Taylor and Hastie.
The fact that Duniam and Paterson, both members of Ley’s leadership group, attended a discussion on a right-wing challenge bodes poorly for Ley. Duniam and Paterson are loyal foot soldiers for Ley but can likely see the writing on the wall.
The Right faction will need to unite around one candidate to have any chance of toppling Ley, who was backed by Moderates and unaligned MPs when she became Liberal leader in May, a week after the Coalition’s crushing election defeat.
Most right-wingers believe Ley’s leadership is doomed. Taylor has been urging calm to colleagues, questioning the wisdom of a swift spill that is not handled maturely, while Hastie’s backers firmly believe he has more support than Taylor.
The split among Ley’s opponents has buoyed the confidence of the opposition leader’s camp, but continued dire polling, showing One Nation competitive with the Coalition, has many MPs yearning for an urgent overhaul of the party’s policy agenda and public messaging.
Source: Expensive-Horse5538
13 Comments
Can’t say I’m suprised – both men have strong egos
>Hastie arrived in a car with Duniam, and O’Sullivan, while Taylor arrived alone later on. They all emerged from the home with Paterson and headed to Allen’s funeral.
>Duniam is Hastie’s housemate in Canberra, while O’Sullivan is a friend from Perth. Paterson is close to both Taylor and Hastie.
Looks like Hastie has at least two votes for him
>
So “secret” the meeting has been reported in every major Australian news outlet in the country.
Who writes these headline?
Hastie will be the next Liberal leader.
I don’t personally like him, but I think he’s probably the best opposition leader for that party.
He’s far more charismatic than either Ley or Taylor, and there’s an overwhelming level of support for reducing immigration across all parties (even within the Greens!) that he’ll be more effective at tapping into than the others.
[YouGov polling]([https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/overwhelming-majority-of-australians-calling-for-big-cuts-to-immigration-levels-sky-news-pulse-yougov-poll-reveals/news-story/d543d3c98ea10e211996bc784cf123cd](https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/overwhelming-majority-of-australians-calling-for-big-cuts-to-immigration-levels-sky-news-pulse-yougov-poll-reveals/news-story/d543d3c98ea10e211996bc784cf123cd))
This is nothing less than a slow motion car crash
Well, I was surprised… no, not really.
The egos on these two are barely controlled, and the party is in a complete shambles. What *will* be interesting is how the new leader approaches the split, or if they’ll hold off for a cycle to see if they can bring the Nats back in line, or if the Nats team up with ON.
Devastating day for Hastie obsessed weirdos. My condolences.
Interesting because the best strategy for both is to let the other take it and fall flat on their face
Make Wilson the leader. Worst case scenario, he’s the second opposition leader in a row to lose his seat. But he won a seat back from the Teals, which is what Liberals have to do to grow.
Actually decision has been reached.
Most Australians conclude they’re both idiots who make a mediocre Albanese look like a cross between Winston Churchill, JFK and the returned Jesus Christ.
A decision would require someone in the Libs to put others and the party first, instead of themselves. This is why it’s taking so long. None of them know how to do that.
There will be no LibSpill today.
I’ll inform the Children
Why does only one of them from the right have to run? Vote splitting and FPTP is not part of Australia’s voting norms and leadership spill votes should also use compulsory preferential voting systems that will allow both of them to run.
Are Duniam and Paterson really huge supporters of Ley? Most of the National Right doesn’t love her too much