In a dramatic turn of events, Liberal leadership hopeful Andrew Hastie has turned down an invitation from Angus Taylor to serve as his deputy on a unified conservative ticket aimed at ousting Opposition Leader Sussan Ley. This conversation, which had not been previously reported, took place last Thursday when Taylor was abroad in Europe and Hastie was in Perth, as revealed by three sources who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussion.
During this phone call, a supporter of Hastie, along with another right-leaning politician who does not align with either faction, indicated that Taylor suggested Hastie could eventually ascend to the leadership role if he first committed to acting as Taylor’s deputy for a period of time, although the specifics of this timeline were unspecified. However, Hastie did not embrace this proposal. He communicated that he felt encouraged to pursue his candidacy by a coalition of right-wing members and would only reconsider if colleagues actively persuaded him against it—a scenario that was not occurring at this moment.
When approached for comments on this conversation, Hastie chose to remain silent, while efforts to reach Taylor and his office yielded no confirmation of this deputy arrangement, with one source close to Taylor downplaying its significance.
Supporters of Hastie are convinced that he possesses substantial backing within the right faction. Conversely, Taylor appears to be gaining traction among moderate members, who, when faced with a choice, may prefer him over Hastie, who is seen as more hardline.
The two politicians are set to have further discussions in the coming days to navigate the current deadlock, a situation that inadvertently favors Ley. There's a growing possibility that she might continue in her role, albeit in a weakened capacity, until a consensus emerges among the right-wing factions. As of Saturday afternoon, Taylor had yet to return to Australia, complicating his ability to engage fully in these political maneuvers.
A significant obstacle for both candidates is the sentiment shared by many moderates, centrist figures, and even some right-wing members. They believe that, despite Ley's evident vulnerability following the Coalition's historical fracture, her recent actions against the Nationals reflect a strategic advantage. Critics of Ley are using this Coalition split as leverage to demand a leadership spill. However, Ley’s supporters argue that the rebels have underestimated the unifying impact of recent bold moves made by Nationals leader David Littleproud.
In the last 48 hours, Ley has been in active communication with her colleagues, and one ally conveyed to this publication that she has expressed a sense of calm and confidence regarding her leadership position, suggesting that concerns about her stability are being exaggerated by dissenters. "There’s not a sense of worry—quite the opposite," remarked one of her supporters.
Meanwhile, Ley's strategy to criticize Labor's handling of the Bondi massacre response did not yield the expected results last week, prompting her to seek guidance from former Prime Minister John Howard multiple times daily as he helps her navigate the ongoing crisis with the Nationals.
Ley is holding off on reshuffling her shadow cabinet to fill roles left vacant by Nationals until Littleproud makes an announcement regarding his unofficial ‘shadow, shadow cabinet,’ expected next week. Her postponement is intentional, aiming to preserve the possibility of reconciliation, as several Nationals, including deputy leader Kevin Hogan, Michael McCormack, Susan McDonald, and Darren Chester, continue discreet talks with Liberals about a potential reunification.
However, those Nationals who wish to maintain the Coalition's existence are hesitant to remove Littleproud, a move that many disgruntled Liberals see as a prerequisite for any chance of reconciling their partnership.
