New Liberal Party leader Angus Taylor is moving aggressively to sideline moderates and promote conservatives in a dramatic rightward shift that's tearing the party apart—and could reshape Australian politics heading into the next election.
An ABC Four Corners investigation reveals deep internal divisions over whether the Liberals should compete with One Nation on the hard right or return to the center to win back suburban voters who fled to Labor and the Greens.
Taylor is reportedly planning a frontbench reshuffle that would diminish the influence of allies of former deputy leader Sussan Ley while elevating conservatives aligned with his vision of a more combative, right-wing party.
Mate, the Liberal Party is having an identity crisis. Do they go harder right on climate denial and anti-immigration rhetoric, or do they remember they're supposed to be a broad center-right party that can actually win elections?
The divisions are playing out across policy areas. Moderates want the party to accept the reality of climate change and support a transition to renewables—especially after South Australia's success with near-100% renewable energy. Conservatives led by Taylor want to double down on fossil fuels and nuclear power.
On immigration, Taylor is signaling support for tougher policies including potential country-specific migration bans. On social issues, conservatives want to push back against what they call "woke ideology" in schools and institutions.
The internal warfare mirrors broader trends across Western democracies, where center-right parties are struggling to define themselves amid populist challenges. Australia's Liberals face the added complication of a teal independents movement that captured traditionally safe Liberal seats by offering fiscally conservative but socially progressive policies.
Former Liberal MP Russell Broadbent, who left the party over its direction, told Four Corners the party was "losing its soul" by chasing One Nation voters instead of appealing to mainstream Australians.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers seized on the divisions, saying Taylor had "no credibility" on economic policy and was leading the Liberals into irrelevance. Labor strategists are quietly pleased—a hard-right Liberal Party makes Labor's center-left positioning more attractive to swinging voters.
The test will come at the next election, likely in 2026. If Taylor's strategy fails and the Liberals lose ground, the party's internal warfare will intensify. If it succeeds in consolidating conservative voters, Australia could see a more polarized political landscape.
For now, Liberal moderates are watching nervously as Taylor remakes the party in his image—and hoping they're not the next ones pushed aside.
