Senior Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has abandoned plans to challenge Sussan Ley for the federal Liberal leadership after days of intense internal speculation.
Hastie confirmed on Friday he would not contest the leadership after canvassing colleagues and concluding he did not have sufficient support within the party room.
The move ends a week of internal manoeuvring that followed the Coalition’s second breakup in less than a year and renewed concerns over the opposition’s direction after poor polling.
Hastie, a former SAS officer and West Australian MP, had been viewed by supporters as a generational change candidate capable of appealing to conservative voters drifting towards minor parties. However, doubts remained about his ability to secure backing from moderate MPs.
Attention has now shifted to Angus Taylor, who narrowly lost the leadership vote to Ley after the 2025 election. Sources close to Taylor say a challenge remains possible, though not imminent.
Hastie’s allies have cautioned against assuming his supporters would automatically back Taylor in any future spill, suggesting internal divisions remain unresolved.
Ley, Australia’s first female Liberal leader, has retained public support from senior colleagues and is expected to remain in the role as parliament resumes next week.
