‘We’re not ready yet’: Ley’s enemies refuse to back Henderson’s attack

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley’s senior conservative rivals have played down the prospect of a coup, giving Ley at least until next year to prove herself after an escalation of backbench criticism before a climax over energy policy next week.

Frustrated backbencher Sarah Henderson ratcheted up the heat on Ley on Friday morning by saying that Ley was “losing support” amid low poll results and disagreements on climate. Henderson added the fractures were “the worst I’ve ever seen in our party”.

Her comments were not authorised by Right faction powerbrokers as part of any co-ordinated move to undermine Ley.

Henderson faces the prospect of a preselection challenge ahead of the 2028 election, and three Liberals unwilling to speak on the record said the push to replace her in the Senate gained momentum after her comments on Friday morning.

“As a member of parliament, I can’t pretend things are good. We’ve had a dire Newspoll result. A primary vote of just 24 per cent, things are not travelling well. I do have to say, really honestly,” Henderson told Sky News on Friday morning.

“I do think Sussan is losing support, but I do believe in miracles. We can turn things around, but things are not good. I don’t support things the way they are.”

Henderson’s rebuke came the morning after another right-wing MP, Ben Small, slammed Ley for her decision to drag MPs back to Canberra next week for talks on energy policy.

Henderson backed Angus Taylor in the Liberal leadership ballot in May and has been frustrated with Ley since she dropped her from the shadow cabinet.

“It’s a very difficult time for the Liberal Party,” she said. “I’ve been a member of parliament since 2013. It’s the worst I’ve ever seen in our party, and I’ve seen a few dramas.”

Ley, speaking to reporters hours after Henderson’s remarks, said, “I’m not going to comment on commentary”, that she was leading “a very proud team”, and “the only thing I care about is working hard for the Australian people”.

Asked repeatedly about the backbencher’s comments, Ley said she was “very proud of her team”.

Two key right-wing leadership aspirants, Taylor and Andrew Hastie, and energy spokesman Dan Tehan played down leadership tensions after Henderson’s remarks.

Taylor said: “I think Sussan is well established as leader, and will lead us through to the next election.“

On 2GB, Hastie said “the thing we have to do is come to a position on net zero,” when asked for his response to Henderson’s comments. “And that’s my singular focus. Until we sort that out, it doesn’t matter who leads the party.”

Several of Henderson’s colleagues were critical of her decision to rebuke Ley in public.

A source close to Ley said: “Sarah Henderson is a magician. Today, she has single-handedly achieved something which has proved elusive for much of the past six months: she has united the party room behind Sussan Ley. We owe her a great deal of gratitude.”

“We are not ready yet”, one MP said of Right faction plotting to bring in a new leader, “and Sussan needs to fail on her own terms”.

Tony Pasin, a Right faction MP, said that Henderson’s comments were not reflective of a widespread feeling. “It’s about the policies that they want to see. It’s not about the personalities,” he said.

However, Henderson’s comments, following the complaints of West Australian MP Ben Small on Thursday about the recall to Canberra, reflect a new phase of unrestrained criticism of Ley from her opponents on the backbench.

One senior Liberal opponent of Ley, who asked to speak anonymously, said: “[A challenge] is not this year. She needs more time and she has to be given every opportunity to fail. Take your Christmas holidays”.

“Sarah was on a frolic, if this was co-ordinated then more people would be out [criticising Ley]. I can’t see a challenge next week, people just want this policy [net zero] resolved, the other aspirants want this resolved,” the MP said.

“My understanding is we will probably get a PowerPoint slideshow [on the net zero policy] next Wednesday, we will give our hot takes, and then it goes to shadow cabinet for sign off on Thursday.”

Jane Hume, a Moderate who has at times been critical of Ley, said the opposition leader retained her support, as the party finalises its stance on emissions reduction on Wednesday and Thursday next week.

“She absolutely does have my support. I’m looking forward to Wednesday. She can navigate us through this. I have no doubt that she can,” Hume said.

Ley has overseen record-low polling and has made a series of political attacks that have not landed, including a call for Kevin Rudd to resign as US ambassador, and a demand that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese apologise for wearing a Joy Division T-shirt, which was widely mocked.

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