CANBERRA, January 23, 2026 —
Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley defended her leadership Tuesday amid internal divisions within the Coalition, asserting that dissenting members remain committed to her team.
- Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley addressed questions about her leadership following recent departures from her shadow cabinet.
- Ley stated that Andrew Hastie and Angus Taylor remain “strong committed members” of her team.
- The opposition leader highlighted her party’s efforts to hold the Labor government accountable.
Sussan Ley insisted that former frontbencher Andrew Hastie and Angus Taylor are “strong, committed members” of her team, as she faces questions about her leadership of the Liberal Party, according to reports from Today.
During an interview with Today hosts Sarah Abo and Karl Stefanovic, Ley responded to a question about her ability to lead the country if she couldn’t lead the Coalition, stating, “I have led, and with respect, we’ve had genuine wins with all of the things we’ve done so far.”
Ley cited the opposition’s work on energy and migration policies, its response to the Bondi terror attack, and its focus on the cost of living as evidence of her leadership. “I know that it hasn’t been the summer that the Labor Party wanted because I as leader have held them to account, and stood there every day,” she said.
Stefanovic directly questioned Ley about the possibility of a leadership challenge, asking, “How long have you got before they knife you?”
Ley responded, “That’s a question of course you would ask, Karl. But I am absolutely confident of the leadership I have delivered, the leadership I will deliver. And the strength of effort that my party and I are making every single day on the behalf of the people – the millions of Australians who sent us to Canberra.”
She acknowledged speculation surrounding her leadership but emphasized the importance of opposition work. “Now, I know there’s been speculation. And I know that tends to drive a lot of reporting. But what is really going on here is the business of opposition. And it’s important. And it matters. And the government has made mistakes. And they’ll continue to make mistakens when we hold them to account in the way that we have.”
When asked specifically about Hastie and Taylor, Ley stated, “They’re strong committed members of my team. In fact, Angus dialled in from overseas where he was, as part of my Liberal leadership group, to back in the actions that we took.”
“I have led, and with respect, we’ve had genuine wins with all of the things we’ve done so far,” Ley said, defending her record as opposition leader.
