Australian news and politics live: Leadership spill confirmed, Sussan Ley, Angus Taylor to go head-to-head

Liberal frontbencher Tim Wilson kept his cards close to his chest as he entered Parliament House on Thursday, but declared he wants a leader with a “very clear vision”.

“I’ll be looking for a leader with a clear track record of turning impossible situations into improbable victories,” he told reporters outside the House of Representatives.

“I want to see someone who’s got a very clear vision for small business as a centre and driver of Australia’s economic success.

“I want policy and vision that is going to deliver for the Australian people, and that’s going to be the basis which everything I do go forward.”

He didn’t answer when asked if he would be running as deputy.

Liberal MP Angus Taylor has formally declared his intention to run for the party’s leadership hours after resigning from Sussan Ley’s frontbench.

In a video posted to social media, he has declared his party has “lost its way” and says he is running for the top job because “I believe Australia is worth fighting for”.

“I’m dedicated to serving you, the Australian people, and giving you a strong alternative that reenlivens the Great Australian Dream.”

A party room meeting to spill the leadership is now expected on Friday.

Reserve Bank of Australia governor Michele Bullock is appearing before a parliamentary committee for the second time in less than a week.

She told the Senate economics committee on Thursday morning that inflation was worse than expected, in the wake of last week’s 25 basis point rate rise to 3.85 per cent.

“Inflation risks on the upside were increasing,” Ms Bullock said. “We were seeing demand come in a bit stronger than expected. We were seeing the labour market a bit stronger than expected.”

“Inflation numbers were coming in a bit higher than expected. The world economy had actually recovered a lot more than people thought it would.”

Ms Bullock declined to make an opening statement like she did at last Friday’s House of Representatives economics committee hearing.

Leadership aspirant Angus Taylor has deleted a video posted last night after formally handing in his resignation to Liberal leader Sussan Ley.

The video showed Mr Taylor in his office explaining why he had resigned, saying the party needed to fight for Australia.

However, the resignation video was mysteriously deleted a short time later.

Perth Labor MP Patrick Gorman was among those puzzled by his social media presence.

Taking to X, Mr Gorman showed a screenshot of Mr Taylor’s comment section on the now-deleted post.

It showed “Fantastic. Great move. Well done, Angus” was littered throughout by users mocking his viral social media faux pas in 2019 when he replied to his own Facebook post.

Angus Taylor’s camp has formally lodged its request for a spill motion with Liberal whip Aaron Violi.

Phil Thompson – who quit the front bench half an hour ago – and first-term NSW Senator Jess Collins put their names to the motion, indicating they want to use the meeting to call for Sussan Ley to quit the leadership.

The timing of a meeting is now in Ms Ley’s hands.

The Liberal frontbench resignations continue to drip out.

WA senator Matt O’Sullivan has just quit his position as shadow assistant minister for fisheries, forestry and infrastructure, and Philip Thompson has resigned as the shadow assistant minister for defence and the NDIS.

Mr Thompson spent about an hour in Angus Taylor’s office after Question Time on Wednesday, while media waited for the leadership contender to visit Sussan Ley.

Liberal senator Sarah Henderson has endorsed Jane Hume as a new deputy leader, saying she would make a “formidable combination” with Angus Taylor at the top of the party.

“There’s no ticket, of course, but I do hope that Jane puts up her hand,” the senator told reporters in a Parliament House corridor.

Multiple names have been tossed around as possible deputies, with Liberal sources on Wednesday saying another Victorian, Zoe McKenzie, was firming as the favourite.

As to the need for leadership change, Senator Henderson echoed Mr Taylor’s comments from last night that the party was in its most dire situation since 1944.

“Angus is very experienced. He’s very principled. He’s got a wonderful background as a business person. He’s got a great empathy with regional Australians, and he’s very determined. He’s very courageous, and he’s very focused on our values,” she said.

She cited an instance where she crossed the floor to pursue a cap on foreign students as an example of how Sussan Ley didn’t have that focus.

Tasmanian Senator Claire Chandler has become the first Liberal frontbencher to quit the shadow ministry following Angus Taylor’s resignation late on Wednesday.

Sources have told The Nightly that the conservative figure has this morning resigned as shadow minister for cyber security and shadow minister for science.

Further front bench resignations are expected this morning as allies of Mr Taylor prepare for him to formally challenge Sussan Ley for the Liberal leadership on Friday.

Sources in Canberra say that a letter, signed by two Liberals, is currently on the way to Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, formally requesting a leadership spill.

It comes after Angus Taylor resigned from Ms Ley’s frontbench on Wednesday afternoon, starting a series of events that could see the Liberal Party’s first Federal female leader ousted from her position.

7NEWS political editor Mark Riley told Sunrise on Thursday morning that the letter is on its way and that Liberals are making their way to Canberra this morning.

The spill is expected to occur on Friday morning, giving Liberals who are not in Canberra enough time to make it back for the party room ballot.

Angus Taylor has quit the shadow ministry and declared he no longer had faith in Sussan Ley’s leadership of the Liberal Party — but stopped short of challenging for her job.

His highly anticipated move clears the way for a formal spill of the leadership, with a motion expected to be called for on Thursday.

The timing of a special party room meeting will be in Ms Ley’s hands but it is anticipated to come on Friday due to the complicating logistics of Senate estimates.

Mr Taylor — who narrowly lost the leadership to Ms Ley in a contest after last May’s election — said he had “sought to be a constructive member of the leadership team” since then.

“We can’t mince words. The Liberal Party is in the worst position it has been since 1944 when the party was formed. That is a confronting reality and we cannot ignore it, “ he told reporters after his four-minute meeting with Ms Ley.

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