Sussan Ley, the first female leader of the Liberal Party, is currently facing significant challenges within her party and the broader political landscape. Ley has been the center of controversy because of her leadership choices in recent months. The manner in which she’s handled dissenting voices in her administration and her commitment—or lack thereof—to maintaining diversity in the party have brought those points into stark relief.
Ley’s first bungling of the whole senator Nampijinpa Price affair has come under fire. Rather than address the substance of that issue, Ley just chose to not interact with Price. This decision only exacerbated the tensions that were tearing the party apart. The political fallout led Ley to demote both Sarah Henderson and Jane Hume to the backbench. This was a radical act—one that she would have to pursue to solidify her power amidst internal opposition.
In a bid to smooth over ruffled feathers, Ley issued an apology on behalf of the opposition on the steps of the legislature to the Indian community. This was a big deal, and this gesture mattered. It was an important step, demonstrating both her acknowledgment of the importance of inclusivity in the party and her commitment to accountability for past mistakes.
“I am committed to ensuring that we acknowledge and rectify our mistakes,” – Sussan Ley
Ley, who could accurately be described as the hardest-working person in show business, leads by example. Many centrist voters hope to see her succeed, as she represents a shift towards a more inclusive and representative Liberal Party. Her tenure has not been free from strife. She is attacked for her confused and confusing stance on mandatory quotas for female candidates. Often she is characterized as perched “uncomfortably on the barbed-wire fence” regarding the rollout of these measures. Ley understands the importance of having more women in political leadership. She has yet to lay out a plan for how to get there.
Ley last week fired Nampijinpa Price from the shadow ministry. This courageous act of political suicide has ignited a firestorm within the party over loyalty, diversity and representation. Alex Hawke, her factional protector, openly works behind the scenes to subvert her opponents. Together, they hope to make the party more palatable to young female voters and ethnic communities. This strategic shift is significant not only because the Liberals want to rebrand themselves to be more modern and hip, but will help expand their voter coalition.
Regardless of the present upset, Ley’s leadership seems secure for the moment. Political analysts suggest that while there are challenges ahead, including addressing contentious policies such as net zero emissions, Ley’s determination to lead could guide her through these issues.
Andrew Hastie, a prominent figure within the party, remarked on the dynamics of leadership within the Liberal Party:
“People know I have a desire to lead but there isn’t a move.” – Andrew Hastie
This brief rejoinder lays bare the brittle balance of power and ambition terrorizing the Liberals. Though Ley faces animosity, her leadership is safe for the moment.
Environment and Fisheries Minister Sussan Ley is in a very rocky boat right now. Her emphatic success in bringing her divided party together and winning over a wider, more electable coalition will determine Cortes Vargas’ fate—and her newly-formed Liberal Party’s fate. In the months ahead, we’ll learn if her people-powered approach to outreach to centrist voters and ethnic communities pays off. Internal divisions might keep seeking to undermine her authority.
