Andrew Hastie Emerges as Rival in Liberal Leadership Crisis

Published: 23 January 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

Andrew Hastie is firming as a potential challenger for the Liberal party leadership, as internal pressure mounts on Sussan Ley to step aside following the latest and most damaging split in the Coalition. While Ley has publicly insisted she will remain leader, senior Liberal figures privately acknowledge that her position is increasingly untenable, with many believing the party room has already moved on.

Behind closed doors, MPs say the question is no longer whether Ley can survive, but how quickly events will overtake her. The focus has shifted to whether the party can avoid a destabilising leadership contest by persuading its first female leader to step aside voluntarily, clearing the way for a new leader to be installed unopposed.

Hastie, the former special forces soldier and current MP for Canning, has emerged as a serious contender after encouragement from colleagues across the conservative faction. Guardian Australia has confirmed that Hastie, who has openly expressed leadership ambitions in the past, is prepared to run for the top job if the numbers stack up. His office was contacted for comment but did not respond.

Within conservative ranks, Hastie is increasingly viewed as the preferred option, ahead of fellow rightwinger Angus Taylor. One senior source said Hastie was seen as better placed to reconnect with voters drifting towards Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, particularly in outer suburban and regional seats where the Coalition’s support has eroded. His military background, outspoken conservatism and national security credentials are regarded as assets at a time when the party is struggling to define a clear identity in opposition.

Senior Liberal MPs say Ley’s fate may be sealed once Hastie and Taylor decide which of them will contest the leadership. The expectation is that the two will not both run, with the conservative faction keen to unite behind a single challenger to maximise pressure on Ley and reduce the risk of a protracted and divisive ballot.

Several MPs have been canvassing the possibility of a leadership spill on the Monday before parliament resumes on 3 February. While no formal motion has yet been lodged, the mere fact such discussions are taking place underscores the depth of dissatisfaction with Ley’s leadership following the second Coalition breakdown in eight months.

The immediate trigger for the crisis was a dispute over Labor’s hate speech laws, drafted in the wake of the Bondi terror attack. The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, withdrew his party from the Coalition after Ley accepted the resignations of three Nationals senators who crossed the floor to support the legislation. Although many Liberals privately blame Littleproud for detonating the Coalition, they also argue that Ley mishandled the situation and failed to contain the fallout.

Hastie’s relationship with Ley has been strained for months. He quit the shadow cabinet in October after a dispute over immigration policy, a move that elevated his profile among conservatives and reinforced his image as a politician willing to sacrifice position for principle. That decision is now being reinterpreted by supporters as evidence of leadership potential rather than disloyalty.

Angus Taylor, the shadow energy minister and a former leadership contender, remains another possible challenger. Taylor is understood to be returning to Australia over the weekend after an overseas holiday that saw him miss this week’s special sitting of parliament. His absence has not gone unnoticed, and some MPs privately question whether he has the appetite for another leadership fight so soon after previous internal battles.

Despite the growing unrest, Ley struck a defiant tone in public on Friday, insisting she expected to survive the turmoil. Speaking to Channel Seven, the opposition leader said bluntly: “Yes, I will,” when asked if she believed she would remain in the top job.

Ley also said she remained open to the possibility of reconciling with Littleproud and the Nationals, stressing that the door was not closed to rebuilding the Coalition. “My focus is always on the Australian people,” she said. “The door is not closed, but my eye is not on the door.”

However, senior Liberal sources described Ley’s leadership as effectively over following the Coalition split, arguing that the loss of the Nationals had stripped her of authority and exposed deep fractures within her own party. Several MPs said the idea of reuniting the Coalition under Ley was unrealistic, with some even suggesting the Liberals should consider operating independently for the foreseeable future.

Asked in another interview whether she was concerned about a challenge from Hastie or Taylor, Ley sought to downplay the threat, describing both men as “strong, committed members of my team”. Allies say she is determined not to be seen as panicking, believing that a show of resolve could yet steady the ship.

Anne Ruston, a close ally of Ley, publicly defended the leader, saying she had done a “phenomenal job” navigating a series of difficult issues. Ruston said she had not encountered a single colleague who believed Ley’s actions this week were unnecessary, and argued the leadership group was firmly behind her.

Yet Littleproud continued to apportion blame squarely at Ley, insisting the Coalition split could have been avoided. He said he had warned Ley that accepting the senators’ resignations would trigger a Nationals walkout, and argued there had been alternative paths she could have taken.

While Littleproud said it was not his role to determine who leads the Liberals, his declaration that he would not serve under Ley’s leadership has been widely interpreted as a direct challenge to her authority and a major obstacle to any future reconciliation.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese seized on the turmoil, delivering a scathing assessment of the opposition’s priorities. Speaking on ABC radio, Albanese said the Coalition was consumed by internal politics and predicted at least one more defection to One Nation in the coming weeks. He also criticised the treatment of Ley, saying the Liberal party’s first female leader had been “undermined from day one”.

“The alternative leaders are worse,” Albanese added, framing the leadership struggle as evidence of a party lurching further to the right rather than broadening its appeal.

The Nationals senators Bridget McKenzie, Susan McDonald and Ross Cadell crossed the floor earlier this week to vote in favour of the hate speech laws, breaking with the Coalition’s agreed position. Ley’s decision to accept their resignations from shadow positions was the immediate catalyst for Littleproud’s walkout, but it also inflamed tensions within the Liberal party, particularly among conservatives who viewed the response as heavy-handed.

Ley’s deputy, the shadow treasurer Ted O’Brien, said he expected her to remain leader, though his comments did little to quell speculation of an imminent challenge. Privately, several Liberal MPs told Guardian Australia they no longer wanted the Coalition to reunite, arguing that the Nationals should be “severely punished” for what they see as repeated acts of bad faith.

One Liberal MP said sentiment had hardened significantly since the previous Coalition split. “Last time, I was speaking strongly to keep the Coalition together,” they said. “But not any more.”

Adding to Ley’s woes, the outspoken conservative senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, who defected from the Nationals to the Liberals after the election, continued her public criticism of the leader. Speaking to Sky News, Price said trust between her and Ley had broken down and had not been rebuilt.

As the party braces for the resumption of parliament, the coming days are likely to prove decisive. If Hastie formally declares his candidacy, pressure on Ley to step aside will intensify rapidly. Whether she chooses to fight on or bow out in the interests of party unity may determine not only her own political future, but the direction of the Liberal party as it struggles to recover from defeat and define itself in opposition.