Feb 16 • 06:04 UTC 🇬🇧 UK Guardian

Angus Taylor moves to promote conservatives and sideline Sussan Ley allies as Liberal party veers right

New Liberal leader Angus Taylor is reshuffling the party to promote conservatives and push out allies of Sussan Ley.

In a significant move since taking over as leader of the Liberal Party, Angus Taylor is preparing to reshape the frontbench by sidelining Sussan Ley's closest allies. This restructuring is part of Taylor's effort to steer the party further to the right, which has led to expectations that key figures such as Alex Hawke, Anne Ruston, and Andrew Wallace may be replaced by more conservative voices like Andrew Hastie and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. Taylor's intention is clear; he aims to bolster a rightwing agenda that resonates with the party's traditional base.

Alongside the anticipated demotions of Ley's supporters, Jane Hume is expected to rise within the party hierarchy following her successful bid for the deputy leadership, ousting Ted O’Brien. Hume represents a more moderate faction, which could create an interesting dynamic within the party as the conservatives regain influence under Taylor. In his recent communications, including an interview with 2GB, Taylor has referred to Hastie and Price as “extraordinary human beings,” indicating a strong preference for reinstating these prominent conservative figures.

The forthcoming announcement of Taylor's new shadow ministry is likely to solidify this strategic shift, with implications for the party's direction ahead of future elections. Price, who had faced controversy for her comments regarding Indian migration, has signaled her return with confidence, suggesting that the party is embracing a rhetoric that aligns with its core conservative values. This reshuffle could therefore be seen as a reflection of the wider ideological battle within the Liberal Party, as it grapples with its identity in a changing political landscape, aiming not only to regain lost ground but also to define its position in Australian politics.

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