Sussan Ley’s leadership enters the danger zone as Liberal divisions deepen over net zero policy

Frustrated Liberal MPs admit Sussan Ley’s leadership has entered the “danger zone” but her senior conservative critics insist the moderate can survive into the new year if the party dumps “net zero” when it reworks its climate and energy policies.

A fresh wave of disunity and undermining of the Opposition leader’s position broke out on Friday, with dumped frontbencher Sarah Henderson openly questioning Ms Ley’s performance and declaring she was “losing support” in the party room.

“As a member of parliament, I can’t pretend things are good. We’ve had a dire Newspoll result. A primary vote of just 24 per cent, things are not travelling well. I do have to say, really honestly.”

“I do think Sussan is losing support, but I do believe in miracles. We can turn things around, but things are not good. I don’t support things the way they are,” the Victorian senator told Sky News.

Several opposition figures have told The Nightly they don’t expect their leader to be toppled before the end of the year but have conceded there is growing despair in Liberal ranks over the party’s direction and poor polling results.

“She will make it to Christmas, and killing off net zero will stave off the leadership pressure at least temporarily,” one Liberal figure and critic of Ms Ley said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Appearing outside a Liberal fundraising event, Ms Ley repeatedly refused to comment on the criticisms from Senator Henderson, who backed leadership rival Angus Taylor in May’s ballot, insisting “my team is absolutely united” on holding Labor to account for its “destructive” energy policy.

“I’m not going to comment on commentary. You wouldn’t expect me to. I’m not focused on comments that other people relate to me or that might be made in a variety of contexts. The only thing I care about is working hard for the Australian people.”

Pressed further on the senator’s remarks, Ms Ley replied: “I value every single member of my team, including the good senator that you’ve just mentioned. In order to interrogate her views, you should probably ask her. I’m not commenting on commentary.”

Senator Henderson’s scathing assessment of Ms Ley followed sharp criticism from conservative backbencher Ben Small who openly attacked the Opposition leader’s decision to recall MPs to Canberra next Wednesday to finalise their energy policy.

“Rather than fulfilling the primary job of Leader, providing leadership that looks to the horizon and positions us accordingly, we have been left at sea with no paddle,” the West Australian MP said.

“The Leader has called a meeting requiring all WA MPs and Senators to check in for the direct flight to Canberra at 11am on the 11th of November — as if there were no more important place for them to be, like their local RSLs paying tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country.”

Those sentiments were echoed on Friday by fellow WA Liberal backbencher and potential leadership candidate Andrew Hastie who says he raised his objections about the timing of the party room meeting with Ms Ley directly.

“My preference was to do it in 10 days or so, but the call is the Leader’s. I made that clear,” the former Shadow Home Affairs Minister told Radio 2GB on Friday.

“It’s not overly convenient for Western Australian members flying over on Remembrance Day, so I’ll have to withdraw from a local event here. But we’ve got to get this energy stuff sorted, and it’s critical we do because we’re not in the fight until we have a clear position on energy.” Asked for his response to Senator Henderson’s critique of the leader, Mr Hastie insisted it doesn’t matter who leads the Coalition until the party’s position on net zero is determined.

“I think we can turn things around, and the thing we have to do is come to a position on net zero. That’s my singular focus. Until we sort that out, it doesn’t matter who leads the party – we’re not in the fight.”

Shadow defence minister and rival leadership candidate Angus Taylor also rejected Senator Henderson’s comments as he entered the Liberal party fundraising event in Canberra.

“I don’t think that’s right. I think Sussan is well established as leader and will be with us through to next year.”

Asked by reporters if he was “planning to roll her” he responded: “absolutely not”.

Fellow conservative MP Tony Pasin said he couldn’t detect any meaningful momentum towards a leadership spill and that he would have preferred Senator Henderson kept her critical views private.

“I don’t sense a concerted effort or any momentum towards change. I mean, Sarah’s entitled to her opinion. I’d prefer if perhaps she shared it privately and not publicly.”

Pressed on whether Ley’s leadership could be in trouble, Pasin insisted it wasn’t and said the focus was on getting the party “back on track”.

“There is some long-standing issues between Sarah and Sussan. I just don’t think there’s any appetite for us to be worrying ourselves with personality cliques within the Liberal Party.”

Liberal Senator and moderate faction member Jane Hume says she doesn’t share the view of her conservative Victorian colleague Sarah Henderson that their leader is losing support.

“I think Sussan has been really consistent in her messaging since she was elected. She has wanted to lower emissions, but not at any cost,” Senator Hume told reporters at Parliament House.

“It’s important we get this policy right because Australians have seen their energy prices rise by about 40 per cent under Labor,” she added.

Shadow minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Dan Tehan said he was confident a series of Coalition meetings next week would settle on a final opposition policy position while cautioning, “it’s a bit like threading a needle, but I think we can get there”.

On Wednesday the full Liberal Party Room will meet in Canberra at midday to discuss energy and emissions reduction policy, before Liberal frontbenchers gather the next morning to formalise their policy position with Mr Tehan.

Once the Liberals have settled on a new energy policy, which is likely to follow the National Party’s lead of dumping net zero, three senior parliamentarians from each party will be tasked with bringing a united Coalition position to a joint party room meeting for endorsement on the following Sunday.

Last weekend the Nationals decided Australia shouldn’t pursue a target to reach net zero emissions by 2050 – cutting emissions as far as possible and offsetting those that can’t be eliminated — and should slow its rate of emission cuts by about half to be in line with the OECD average.

Government figures have told The Nightly they are preparing for any eventuality with the Liberal leadership tensions, with some Labor hardheads saying they could see strategic reasons for the opposition to roll its leader before the long summer break.