Andrew Hastie, Angus Taylor: Liberal leadership rivals meet in Melbourne as fears grow of One Nation defection

The two conservative Liberal rivals looking to oust Sussan Ley from the Party’s leadership have held face-to-face talks in Melbourne, just hours before a memorial service in honour of former parliamentary colleague Katie Allen, who died last year.

This morning’s meeting comes as concerns grow inside the former Coalition that Nationals MP Colin Boyce could become the next opposition figure to follow Barnaby Joyce by defecting to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party.

Photographs published by The Australian show frontbencher Angus Taylor and West Australian backbencher Andrew Hastie arriving at a suburban residence along with other key Liberal Party figures.

Right-wing Liberal powerbrokers are pushing for one of the rivals to stand aside to allow a united ticket backing a sole candidate to challenge Ms Ley for the Party’s leadership when Federal Parliament returns next week.

Mr Hastie, a former soldier, arrived at Melbourne house with two senior conservatives – Opposition home affairs spokesman Jonathon Duniam and fellow West Australian Matt O’Sullivan.

According to The Australian, Mr Taylor, the former energy minister and now shadow defence minister, arrived alone 40 minutes later, and later departed with Mr Hastie as well as shadow finance minister James Paterson.

Earlier in the morning Senator Paterson told ABC radio in Melbourne that anyone in the Opposition wanting Ms Ley to be challenged as leader should resign.

“Yes, she does (have my support). I wouldn’t be speaking to you this morning, as the shadow minister for finance, if she didn’t. I understand my responsibilities under the Westminster Convention,” Senator Paterson said.

Meanwhile, several senior Opposition figures have told The Nightly they believe Queensland backbencher Mr Boyce could defect to One Nation next week, following a leadership spill in the National Party which he has called for.

Last week during a visit to Perth, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also predicted “at least one more defection to One Nation” within weeks and accused Liberal MPs of undermining their first female leader “from day one”.

In a statement released before this morning’s memorial service, Ms Ley paid tribute to her former colleague saying Ms Allen was “a woman of rare grace, intellect and courage, whose impact “reached far beyond politics and will endure for many years to come”.