BY SUSSAN LEY, OPPOSITION LEADER.
It is an enormous privilege to have been elected leader of the parliamentary Liberal Party.
I thank my Liberal colleagues for the trust that they have placed in me.
I am humbled. I am honoured, and I am up for the job.
“We are going through a period of political adversity. It will be the best thing that ever happened to us. We shall fight back, we shall think back, get long views, summon our courage and stir our imagination. In that case we shall win.”
These words could have been penned by any member of my Liberal team yesterday, and yet they were used by [Sir] Robert Menzies, the founder of the Liberal Party, in 1944.
I echo them today to underscore the fact that the Liberal Party has faced adversity before and we will again.
Through our history, our party has faced defeats, as we do today, but if we stay focused our political movement has the foundations to rebuild and once again guide Australians towards a better future.
That starts with accepting the fact that Australians sent a clear message at the election.
We must listen, change and develop a fresh approach.
To all Australians, those who did vote for us and those who didn’t, we will work day and night to earn your trust over the next three years.
Now, more than ever, the federal Liberal Party must reflect modern Australia, and represent modern Australia.
Our party values are enduring, and they are optimistic.
We believe in the freedom of the individual, reward for hard work, and strong families being at the centre of a successful society.
The Australians that [Sir] Robert Menzies called “the forgotten people” and John Howard called his “battlers” remain at the heart of our nation.
They are the nurses, small business owners, tradies, teachers, farmers, parents and retirees who ask for little but contribute a lot.
They’re also now the young professionals and first-generation Australians in our major cities who are incredibly concerned about getting ahead and getting into their first home. They want to go about their lives knowing they have security, opportunity and a say in their own future.
The Liberal Party that I lead will always have these Australians, and their aspirations, front of mind.
We accept that many Australian women felt neglected by the Liberal Party and that we must reconnect with them and rebuild trust. We will do so.
We know that in three years’ time, as a result of Labor’s policies, Australians will be worse off. But as we learnt just days ago, that will not be enough to win an election.
I also know that Australians want a real alternative.
This means standing for lower, simpler and fairer taxes – not as an economic ideology, but because we trust people to spend their own money more than we do the government.
It means taking education seriously, not for slogans or funding battles, but because knowledge and critical thinking are so important, especially for our children.
It means supporting families not just with payments, but with policies that respect their choices – in child care, housing and education, and in retirement.
And it means building a strong, sovereign Australia, confident in its values, prepared to defend them, and clear-eyed about the global challenges we face.
The Liberal Party will take the time to get it right.
We will listen, we will step up, we will modernise and we will rebuild.
We will be a strong alternative and win the trust of Australians once again.
It is the honour of my life to lead the Liberal Party.
A lot has been written about the significance of my election as the first woman to lead our great party. It is a significant moment and it sends a message to the electorate.
While I note its significance, and we should recognise it, we can not afford to dwell on symbolism, we need to act with urgency and unity.
As leader of the opposition, I will fight for the values that the Liberal Party believes in.
When the government makes decisions that contradict those values, expect fierce resistance. When it makes decisions we believe are in the national interest, my team will be supportive.
Let’s get to work.
Hook, G. (1991) Boom, Bust & Polka Dots, S&W/Information Australia, Melbourne. [From VicNews archives].
