Liberal leader Sussan Ley’s rousing renewal message that defeat could be ‘best thing that ever happened to us’

Sussan Ley has echoed her party’s founder in suggesting the electoral defeat could be “the best thing that ever happened to us” as she vowed to listen, change, and develop a fresh approach for the Liberal Party.

In her first oped since becoming leader, Ms Ley writes in The Nightly that the 1944 words of Robert Menzies — “We shall fight back, we shall think back, get long views, summon our courage and stir our imagination. In that case we shall win” — ring true today as much as they did 80 years ago.

“I echo (these words) to underscore the fact that the Liberal Party has faced adversity before, and we will again... But if we stay focused, our political movement has the foundations to rebuild,” she wrote, accepting that Australians had sent her party a “clear message”.

Ms Ley cautioned against dwelling in the symbolism of her being the first female to lead the Liberals, saying while it was significant and sends a message to the electorate, “we need to act with urgency and unity”.

“I know that Australians want a real alternative. They deserve a real alternative. And we will give them a real alternative,” she wrote.

READ OPPOSITION LEADER SUSSAN LEY’S OPINION PIECE

She singled out taxes, education, supporting families, and sovereignty as key issues where the Liberal Party will focus, but will “take the time to get it right”.

“We will listen, we will step up, we will modernise and we will rebuild. We will be a strong alternative and win the trust of Australians once again,” she said.

Ms Ley inherits the party at a time where it must do deep soul searching about its own future, but says she’s up for the challenge.

Her statement of intent came after Liberal party vice president Fiona Scott had to walk back her own comments where she suggested Ms Ley’s term as Liberal leader could be short.

Amid commentary that Ms Ley was in effect the temporary scapegoat for the party and would be rolled closer to the next election, the former Lindsay MP was on Wednesday morning asked how long she thought the Opposition Leader would stay in office.

“I don’t know. I mean, a day’s a long time in politics,” Ms Scott told Channel 9.

“Well, you know, it could be a day – it won’t be a day, I’m being cheeky.”

The comments caused a stir, and a few hours later on Sky News she said they were “a bit of a joke”.

“I actually think that Sussan as leader, supported by Ted, is a fantastic step forward for the Liberal Party and it gives us the opportunity to grow,” she said.

Liberal senator Anne Ruston said the new leadership is a reset, and gives the party an “opportunity... to move forward and rebuild” after a “devastating loss”.

Ms Ley and deputy Ted O’Brien will, over the coming weeks, iron out their shadow ministry and discuss with The Nationals what the Coalition will look like in this term.

The future of the longstanding alliance between the two parties has been a hot-button discussion since the Coalition’s defeat on May 3, compounded by a fresh debate about net zero and the future of nuclear.

Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie said the updated agreement must recognise the “proportionality” of relative power following the Liberals’ election drubbing, and suggested the junior party deserved more and higher-profile portfolios - like treasury.

“I think there needs to be a very serious conversation heading into any Coalition discussions about the role of the National Party. This is a partnership that needs to work for both parties,” she said.

“I think at the moment, it is fair to say that we are in a very powerful position, our electorate has backed our proposition very strongly and that needs to be reflected in any partnership agreement.”

On current count, the joint party room is made up of 18 Nationals MPs and Senators and 53 from the Liberal Party. The junior party is just shy of 25 per cent, which in a shadow ministry of 30 would equate to eight frontbench positions.

In the last parliament, the Nationals held nine positions, gaining an extra one when Jacinta Nampijinmpa Price — since defected to the Liberal Party — was elevated to the frontbench in the leadup to the Voice referendum.

Senator McKenzie also didn’t rule out the two parties taking different policy offerings to the next election, saying it would depend on “whether a partnership can be agreed”.

“Right now, those discussions are taking place, it has to be an agreement that works for everyone, we’re very clear on who we are, what we represent, what we value, and we won’t be backing down,” she said.

Senator Ruston said the strength of the Coalition as a partnership had meant over the years, the two parties can work together despite policy differences.

“We come together and we work together in what we think is in the best interests of the people we represent. They’re people that live in rural, regional and remote Australia and people who live in the cities as well,” she told ABC News.

After ironing out the status of the Coalition, the priority will then need to turn to a post-election review, with Ms Ley’s backers agitating for a deep and lengthy process that leaves no stone unturned if the party wants a shot at returning to Government in the near-term.

Ms Ley said the Party “will work day and night to earn” the trust of those who did and didn’t vote for them at the election over the next three years.

“Now more than ever, the Federal Liberal Party must respect modern Australia, reflect modern Australia and represent modern Australia,” she wrote.

The Liberal Party on Wednesday afternoon were anxiously awaiting the final results for the seat of Bradfield, which could be sent to an automatic recount after teal challenger Nicolette Boele narrowed in on moderate Liberal candidate Giselle Kapterian.