Angus Taylor and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price have announced themselves as a joint ticket for the Liberal Party leadership ahead of what is expected to be a tight contest to steer the Opposition rebuild.
Liberal MPs will meet in Canberra on Tuesday to elect their next leader, with previous deputy Sussan Ley and Mr Taylor, who was shadow treasurer for the past three years, putting their hands up for the top job.
Conservatives among the Liberal ranks persuaded Senator Price to defect from the Nationals last week, just days after she was re-elected for the Country Liberal Party with support from the junior coalition partner’s senior members.
On Sunday, Senator Price confirmed that she intended to run for deputy leader despite not having sat in the Liberal party room.
“There is no question that returning to our roots as a party is critical right now,” Senator Price said in a statement.
“If we want to inspire and empower Australians across our country, we must return to these roots — these basic values — that define who we are as a party.”
She subsequently endorsed Mr Taylor as “a pragmatic, deep-thinking individual” on Sky News.
The pair then released a joint video on social media.
“You’ve got the incredible experience behind you, I’ve had the pleasure of having you as a mentor so far in my journey,” Senator Price says in the split-screen video.
“That’s what I think Australians need to understand, that we’re a team that’s prepared to get out there and fight.”
Mr Taylor responded that she was absolutely right.
“You’ve been a great inspiration to me and we’ve got to regroup, rebuild and get back in the fight,” he said.
While Ms Ley does not officially have a running mate, The West understands Ted O’Brien is expected to also contest the deputy position.
The Liberals do not have a history of always running joint tickets for the leadership; Julie Bishop stood on her own merits to be the deputy leader to Brendan Nelson, Malcolm Turnbull, Tony Abbott and then Mr Turnbull again.
Senate colleague Dave Sharma said no matter who won Tuesday’s ballot, it was vital the Liberals remaining after last week’s election drubbing united behind the new leader.
“We don’t have the luxury of being able to tear ourselves apart over the next year or two,” he said.
“Our party room is not big enough, our level of public support is not high enough to indulge ourselves in that way.”
He also urged a total overhaul of policy development.
Backbenchers like himself had prioritised party discipline over the past three years but did so on the expectation shadow ministers had been doing to work to give them something to sell at the election.
It did not eventuate.
“We should have been road testing these (policies), red team-blue teaming them, contesting them internally before we decide to roll them out,” he said.
“I do think we had people on the front bench who weren’t pulling their weight, who didn’t have the capability, the profile, the policy heft to take the best offering to the election.
“Leaders have to make decisions about the shadow cabinet on all sorts of criteria, geography, gender . . . faction, all that sort of stuff.
“But I don’t think there was enough merit in that mix, would be my honest assessment.”
