Perseverance defines me, and I rarely quit but wisdom teaches that sometimes letting go serves the greater good; leadership lies in recognising when persistence helps and when it harms.
Electing Sussan Ley as Liberal leader was always a risk. And in the contest between her and Angus Taylor, I supported Taylor.
Under Sussan Ley, it has been one drama after another with the junior member of the coalition; The Nationals. And instead of prosecuting Labor and their woeful performance, all the energy has been inwardly focused. And fast-forward to January 2026, and the Coalition has split again. The second time in under a year, triggered by disputes over Labor’s Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026. In pulling the Nationals out of the coalition David Littleproud has also made it very personal by stating he can’t serve with Ley.
And Sussan Ley’s public defiance is harming the Liberals even more. She insists she’ll survive and is keeping the door open for reconciliation, but the vibe inside the Liberals is grim: MPs and powerbrokers are openly discussing a leadership change as early as next month (February 2026). Potential challengers being floated include conservative figures like Angus Taylor and Andrew Hastie. Both are more aligned with core right-leaning principles on economics, energy, and security. If they can unify behind one candidate, a spill seems likely.
I’d back Taylor because of his strong economic credentials.
- Education: Bachelor of Economics (First Class Honours + University Medal) and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Sydney, followed by a Master of Philosophy in Economics from Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar (thesis on competition policy). That’s elite-level training in straight economics, not just tangential exposure.
- Pre-politics career: Partner at McKinsey & Company (global consulting powerhouse, where he worked on strategy and economics-heavy projects), then co-founder and adviser in agribusiness ventures like Growth Farms and Farmshed (digital ag-tech backed by big players like Wesfarmers and NAB). He bridged theory and real-world application in markets, productivity, and rural economics.
- Parliamentary roles: Served as Shadow Treasurer (where he hammered productivity, wage stagnation, and fiscal discipline critiques of Labor), plus stints in energy/industry where he pushed deregulation and emissions reduction via market mechanisms rather than heavy-handed intervention.
In contrast, Andrew Hastie (the other main conservative contender right now) has a solid but different profile: military background (SASR officer), BA (Hons) in History/Politics/Philosophy from UNSW, and a Graduate Certificate in Business Economics from Harvard Extension School. It’s respectable economics exposure, but more supplementary to his defence/national security strengths, less deep or “impeccable” in pure economic policy compared to Taylor’s resume. Hastie’s credentials fit with defence and immigration.
The chatter in January 2026 (post-Coalition split) has Taylor and Hastie as the top challengers to Sussan Ley, with some Liberals floating a potential February spill when parliament resumes. Taylor’s economic credentials give him an edge in appealing to voters frustrated by cost-of-living pressures, stagnant productivity, and Labor’s perceived mismanagement. Issues that Liberals see as core territory. A new leader with that background could credibly pitch a rebuild around:
- Tax reform and deregulation to boost growth
- Productivity-focused policies (he’s long warned about Australia’s “disastrous” trends here)
- Fiscal responsibility without the grievance optics of minor parties
Of course, baggage exists (past controversies as Energy Minister, critiques of his shadow treasurer performance in not presenting enough detailed policy pre-2025 election). That wasn’t just down to Taylor. Plus, the party room would need to unify behind one conservative to avoid splitting votes and letting Ley hang on. But if the goal is a serious, governing-ready conservative force that delivers reforms rather than just opposition noise, Taylor’s economic credentials and parliamentary experience in the inner sanctum make him a logical choice to lead that reset.
The question is, would the party rally around him quickly. Or is there a risk of another drawn-out contest? We simply don’t have the luxury or the time to blood Hastie. But Taylor as leader and Hastie as deputy leader would be a powerful economic and defence combination.
However, success relies on recognition from Sussan that staying is causing irreparable harm. Strong leadership means having the courage to admit when a mistake has been made, take responsibility, and correct course. This is a test of her leadership integrity.
