What the New Opposition Leader Said About Immigration, Net Zero

New Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has set out his priorities within hours of defeating Sussan Ley in the Liberal Party leadership spill.

Taylor said the first priority of his leadership was to “restore Australian standard of living and protect our way of life,” arguing the party had drifted away from its core principles.

“Government isn’t the solution to Australia’s problems, Australians are the solution to Australia’s problems,” he said.

The new leader said the Coalition would “unapologetically defend Australian values,” while acknowledging the party had made mistakes at the last election, including not backing personal income tax cuts.

Taylor noted that the Liberals were running out of time and that he knew “supporters are angry.”

“We’re in this position because we didn’t stay true to our core values, because we stopped listening to Australians, because we were attracted to the politics of convenience rather than focusing on the politics of conviction. This ends today.”

Jane Hume has returned to the frontbench as deputy leader after losing her senior role under Ley.

Hume said Labor had “failed Australians” and argued many families were watching young people lose hope.

“Under Angus Taylor, Australians will see a Liberal Party that focuses on them,” she said.

Cost of Living, Net Zero Pitch

Taylor said the Liberals would campaign on lower inflation, lower interest rates and lower taxes, and pledged to oppose what he called Labor’s tax agenda.

“We know that government must live within its means, so Australians have the means to live,” Taylor said.

He added that economic growth depended on business confidence and signalled the party would target regulation and union influence, arguing they were holding back investment.

Taylor also singled out the “net-zero ideology,” saying the Coalition would “get rid of Labor’s bad carbon taxes on the family vehicle, on manufacturing … and electricity.”

Immigration, Assimilation a Key Focus

At the same time, Taylor signalled that immigration would become a central focus, as the Liberals face growing competition from One Nation.

He said: “Our borders have been open to people who hate our way of life.”

Speaking about the Bondi terror attack, Taylor said “Islamist extremists” were to blame and criticised Labor’s immigration policies.

The Liberal leader noted that his party was not against migration but would pursue a stricter approach.

“We’ll stand for an immigration policy that puts the interests of Australians first and puts Australian values at the centre of that policy,” he said.

“If someone doesn’t subscribe to our core beliefs, the door must be shut. If someone was to import the hatred and violence of another place to Australia, the door must be shut.”

Dismissing Claims about Factions

Taylor, who’s from the right faction, rejected the notion that his leadership marked a shift to the right for the party, saying he did not view politics through left or right.

His remarks were echoed by Hume, who said: “We take the Liberal Party forward, not left, not right. We’re not moving towards any one party. We’re taking our party and the people that we want to represent forward.”

Taylor’s accession comes amid a surge in support for the conservative-leaning One Nation and a marked drop for the Liberal and National parties.

“We respect the fact that those voters who might be thinking about One Nation have reasons for wanting to do so, and we have to restore their confidence in us,” Taylor said.

Paying Tribute to Ley’s Exit 

Both Taylor and Hume paid tribute to Ley, who has announced she will resign from parliament.

Taylor described her contribution as “extraordinary.”

“She took on an incredibly difficult task after a humbling election defeat back in May last year, her work ethic has been absolutely relentless,” he said.

Hume also praised Ley.

“I admire Susan greatly. I will always been awe of her dedication that she has shown in every single role that she has had in government and in opposition,” she said.

Asked whether Ley confidant Ted O’Brien would remain as shadow treasurer, Taylor praised him but did not confirm his future.

“Ted has done a great job as shadow treasurer. He has fought hard against Labor’s bad spending initiatives,” he said.

“I’m not going to make front bench announcements today, but I will say that Ted is a is a marvellous contributor to our team, and I’m sure he’ll continue,” he added.