Australian news and politics recap May 12: Littleproud re-elected as National Party leader, defeats Canavan

An internal list of presumed voting intentions in the Liberal Party leadership ballot on Tuesday shows shadow treasurer Angus Taylor ahead of acting leader Sussan Ley by 28 to 21 votes.

The list, which was shared among Liberal MPs over the weekend, identifies only five uncommitted voters: former science minister Melissa Price, former assistant defence minister David Fawcett, and backbenchers Terry Young and Cameron Caldwell from Queensland and Paul Scarr from South Australia.

The document suggests the party’s right wing believes it has secured enough support for Mr Taylor and his running mate, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, to take control of the parliamentary party even without winning any extra votes.

Among Mr Taylor’s most-prominent listed supporters are education spokeswoman Sarah Henderson, defence spokesman Andrew Hastie, and shadow attorney-general Michalea Cash.

Ms Ley’s best-known supporters on the document include finance spokeswoman Jane Hume, communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh and immigration spokesman Dan Tehan, who considered running himself.

None of the five listed undeclared voters could be reached Monday morning or responded to requests for comment. A spokesman for Senator Fawcett said he was unlikely to comment.

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Liberal MP Angus Taylor has hit back at outgoing Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes after she suggested that he had clandestinely mounted a coup against former Opposition Leader Peter Dutton before election day.

“I remain incredibly supportive of Dutton and have absolutely done everything I could to support the Liberal Party, because I do believe we are a party of government and a party that will be better for the Australian people,” Senator Hughes told Sky News.

Senator Hughes then alluded that Mr Taylor had his “own ambition” ahead of the country, suggesting he had been “planning to topple Dutton” regardless of the election outcome.

She went on to say that Mr Taylor had “insulted not only every Liberal woman but every Liberal Party member in the parliamentary team” with his involvement in Jacinta Price’s move from the Nationals to the Liberals.

Mr Taylor’s team told The Australian Senator Hughes’ comments were “false and frankly low”.

Tim Wilson became one of the Liberal Party’s few success stories last Saturday when he clawed back the seat of Goldstein from first-term teal MP Zoe Daniel.

Although Ms Daniel has yet to concede the seat, Mr Wilson has claimed victory.

A moderate Liberal, Mr Wilson held the Melbourne-based seat between 2016-2022 before he was ousted in the teal wave. In his final year in government, he was assistant industry and energy minister.

Before entering politics, Mr Wilson was a policy director at the conservative thinktank Institute of Public Affairs and a consultant. He also served as Human Rights Commissioner for two years.

As Australia waits for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to reveal his new senior team, reports have emerged that Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke will be handed agency over the AFP and ASIO.

It is understood that Mr Burke will travel with Mr Albanese to Indonesia later this week as the MP takes on the soon-to-be enhanced portfolio.

The decision to put AFP and ASIO responsibilities into the home affairs portfolio comes after Labor removed them when Mr Albanese was first elected in 2022.

The claim was made by The AFR, which also reported Enviorment Minister Tanya Plibersek was set to lose her portfolio.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, Defence Minister Richard Marles and Trade Minister Don Farrell will remain in the same jobs.

Liberal MP Tim Wilson has spoken amid growing speculation the member for Goldstein could put his hand up to lead the party.

“Liberals around Australia need hope, there’s a way forward,” Mr Wilson told The Australian on Monday following reports he has been pressured to enter the race.

Mr Wilson, who defeated Teal Zoe Daniel in the 2025 Federal election, would be up against Angus Taylor and Sussan Ley for the top job.

Liberals are set to meet on Tuesday to vote on a new leader, so Mr Wilson has some time up his sleeve before crunch time.

The outrider for the Nationals leadership, which will be decided within hours, is pushing for the junior coalition party to dump the “ridiculous” net zero emissions target.

Queensland Senator Matt Canavan will challenge current party leader David Littleproud when Nationals politicians go to a vote on Monday afternoon.

He hopes to give the coalition a “fighting chance” at the next election after Australian voters delivered a bruising defeat at the most recent political contest.

“I don’t think the Australian people were given enough of a choice at the last election,” he told 2GB on Monday.

“(At the election) we basically said, ‘look, things are bad but we’re not proposing any major radical changes to fix it’.

“I have been an agent of change.”

Party leaders generally sit in the lower house, but having leaders in the Senate is not unprecedented, he said, pointing to the Greens who will soon appoint a leader from their upper chamber team.

“It’s unconventional ... (but) we are in unconventional times,” Senator Canavan said.

“The Liberal-National coalition has suffered the worst defeat since World War II and so I think it is time we perhaps look to unconventional responses to get ourselves back in the game.”

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Anthony Albanese is preparing to announce his senior team for Labor’s second term in office, with fresh faces poised to join the ministry.

The finalised ministerial line-up is anticipated on Monday after Labor locked down more than 90 seats in a convincing election victory.

Competition for leadership spots has been fierce following the influx of new talent and the usual factional carve-up between the states and the left and right factions.

Factional manoeuvring has already claimed two senior ministers, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus and Industry Minister Ed Husic.

The latter used an appearance on ABC’s Insiders to slam the call endorsed by Deputy Prime Minister and right leader Richard Marles, with Mr Husic labelling him a “factional assassin”.

Sam Rae, Daniel Mulino, Jess Walsh and Tim Ayres will be elevated to the frontbench.

Some cabinet appointees will be handed fresh portfolios but Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, Defence Minister Richard Marles and Trade Minister Don Farrell will remain in the same jobs.

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Senator Sharma would not be drawn on whether he had heard from Ms Ley or Mr Taylor personally, however said they were both “honest” about the challenges the Liberal Party faces.

“They’re both honest about the scale of the challenge we face and they’re both committed,” he told Sunrise.

“It’s important to make a collegiate approach after this leadership ballot. There are not enough of us to break apart into warring camps.

“We need to all pull in the same direction.

“I would expect from any of the leadership candidates that they are committed to putting the best team on the field, but also making sure we work collaboratively together.”

Despite many MPs already declaring support for Angus Taylor or Sussan Ley, another Liberal MP has entered the leadership battle.

Tim Wilson, the Liberal incumbent for the seat of Goldstein, is reportedly calling around the Coalition.

Mr Wilson, who claimed victory for the seat of Goldstein in Victoria, despite Teal Zoe Daniel refusing to concede, has been dubbed the “teal slayer” and could offer an alternative direction for the party.

Liberal Senator Dave Sharma said he was aware of the reported push but did not reveal who he would support.

“I saw that,” he told Sunrise on Monday.

“I haven’t made up my mind yet. I will declare it before them (the party) before I declare to your viewers.”

Senator Sharma said he has not received a call from Mr Wilson, but had read reports of alleged calls.