Prime Minister Anthony Albanese slams Liberal Party as ‘joke’ and ‘shambles’ amid leadership infighting
The Prime Minister has blasted the Liberal Party in a fiery press conference as speculation of a leadership challenge to Sussan Ley continues.
Anthony Albanese has taken a brutal swipe at the opposition, labelling them a “joke” and a party in “shambles” as the infighting continues.
In a press conference to announce a new $800m housing package in South Australia on Saturday, the Prime Minister was asked about the opposition and what the ending of the Coalition could mean for democracy.
“They’re a shambles and they are focused on their hatred of each other,” Mr Albanese said. “We are focused on the Australian people, their needs and the national interest.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“You can’t fight for Australians if you are obsessed with fighting yourselves and that is what the former Coalition has become.”
When pressed further about the possibility of facing former shadow treasurer Angus Taylor, who is rumoured to be readying for a challenge to Sussan Ley, Mr Albanese continued to take aim at those sitting across from him in parliament.
“You had a funeral to farewell Katie Allen, who was not just respected in the Liberal Party but across the board, and a bunch of blokes sitting in a house somewhere in Melbourne plotting to knock off the first female leader of the Liberal Party,” he said.
“This is beyond belief frankly”.
Mr Taylor and Andrew Hastie – the two possible contenders to challenge Ms Ley – met face-to-face at a house in Melbourne on Thursday, just a few hours before the memorial service for Dr Allen.
Just a day later, Mr Hastie, the MP for Canning in Perth, announced he would not challenge Ms Ley for the party’s leadership.
“Over the past few weeks, there has been speculation about the future leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia,” Mr Hastie said in a statement released late on Friday afternoon.
“I’ve previously stated that I would welcome the opportunity to serve my party and our country as leader of the Liberal Party.
“But having consulted with colleagues over the past week and respecting their honest feedback to me, it is clear that I do not have the support needed to become the leader of the Liberal Party.
“On this basis, I wish to make it clear I will not be contesting the leadership of the Liberal Party.”
NewsWire understands this was done to clear the way for a run from Mr Taylor, which is not expected to be imminent.
Meanwhile, Mr Taylor – who is in Ms Ley’s shadow cabinet as defence spokesman – posted a cryptic message as the rumours continued to swirl around who would lead the opposition.
Mr Taylor praised Mr Hastie as a “great asset” to the Liberal cause, but gave no indication of his own intentions.
“Andrew Hastie is many things: a former SAS soldier, a loving father and husband, and a fierce intellect,” said in a post on X.
“He is a patriot committed to tackling the big problems our country faces, and I share many of his views on reducing immigration, restoring cheap energy, reviving Australian industry, and rebuilding national pride.
“An individual of his abilities and principles has much to contribute on the front lines of our fight for the promise of Australia and to ensure that our best days lie ahead.
“My colleague and friend is a great asset to the Liberal cause, with formidable strengths and an unwavering commitment to serving our country.”
Ms Ley narrowly won the leadership ballot against Mr Taylor following Peter Dutton’s bruising 2025 election loss.
Parliament sits next week, but Mr Taylor is not expected to make a move before the Reserve Bank, which is expected to increase the official cash rate on Tuesday, announces its decision.
Meanwhile, Mr Albanese announced almost 17,000 new homes will be built as part of the federal government’s commitment to build 100,000 new homes nationally for first-home buyers.
The $801.5m funding package, announced alongside SA Premier Peter Malinauskas, includes measures for 6877 places for first-home buyers mainly in northern Adelaide.
Mr Albanese said getting into the housing market was “tough” and pointed to the need to increase supply in order to help young families achieve their goals of home ownership.
“We’re determined to make it easier for young people and first-home buyers to achieve the dream of owning a home,” he said.
Originally published as Anthony Albanese blasts ‘shambles’ opposition for focusing on infighting
