Opposition leader Sussan Ley has broken Peter Dutton's three-year dry spell at the National Press Club (NPC), cementing her distinct leadership style.
Unlike her predecessor, who was very selective with media appearances, Ley has been more available to the media and forwent Dutton's NPC defiance with her first address on Wednesday.
Highlighting it won't be her only appearance, Ley spoke to the "aspirational" voters she seeks to rebuild trust as part of a revived Liberal Party that will "respect, reflect and represent modern Australia".
Ley acknowledged that over the last two elections, the Coalition lost 33 MPs in the lower house and eight senators. It currently holds only two of 43 metro seats and seven out of 45 outer metro seats.
As she announced the Liberal Party's second review, Ley revealed where she's willing to work with the Labor government and key issues she won't compromise on.
Five priorities under Ley as Liberal Party platform under review
Ley says all Liberal Party policies are now on the table, except for areas identified by the Nationals during the Coalition's temporary split, which have in-principle support.
However, as she revealed, party elders Pru Goward and Nick Minchin would lead a review of the Liberal Party, Ley also hinted at her priority areas for this term of government.
These five priorities are:
- Energy and emissions reduction
- Increasing defence spending
- Tackling the "national shame" of domestic violence
- Protecting young children from social media and digital technology
- Having a credible alternative agenda for "ambitious" Australians
She said an energy working group would be established with two clear objectives: a policy that delivers affordable and reliable power while seeking to reduce emissions in line with Australia's global commitments.
Ley steered clear of weighing in on whether the Coalition should ditch the net-zero by 2050 target, a point of contention within the party, both in her speech and during follow-up questions.
"I don't think you'd expect me to get ahead of a policy working group that I've just announced today," she said in response to whether she was open to a non-net-zero policy.
Ley appeared to stand by the Coalition's election commitment to increase defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP, saying Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had failed to "level with the Australian people".
There was a large focus on tackling family and domestic violence and not letting it "fall down the list of priorities", with Ley alluding to a personal history with coercive control.
"I understand the fear you feel when you go for a walk alone, because I have felt that fear too. I understand the pain that comes with coercion and control because I have felt that pain too," Ley said.
When asked if she could expand on her comments, she said: "Many women in our communities and in the rooms that we walk in have told me their personal stories, and I've identified with them."
Ley said she'd constructively work with the government in tackling domestic violence as well as technologies harming children, and reforming the NDIS.
Ley open to state divisions implementing gender quotas
The Liberal Party's first female leader said it is "time to get serious" about having more women within its ranks.
Ley is supportive of more women being pre-selected, although she remained "agnostic" on gender quotas, which have been in place under Labor since 1994.
"I'm agnostic on specific methods to make it happen, but I am a zealot that it actually does happen, current approaches have clearly not worked," Ley said.
"If some state divisions choose to implement quotas, that's fast enough, if others don't, that's also fine. But what is not fine is not having enough women."
The election of 15 female MPs at the 2025 election has resulted in a lower house where Labor women outnumber men for the first time.
