Angus Taylor, installed to save the Coalition, is facing mounting concerns over his leadership as the party struggles to regain ground in polls and grapples with the rise of One Nation. In a closed-door meeting of Liberal MPs on Tuesday morning, Taylor urged colleagues to start actively recruiting members to rebuild the party's depleted rank and file, using the politically loaded term "stacking." According to five sources, he even gave a shoutout to hard-right Liberal senator Alex Antic, who gained control of the South Australian division after recruiting churchgoers and anti-government sceptics.
Taylor's comment was interpreted variously as a joke, an offhand remark, or a poor attempt at humour, but it fell flat, highlighting his awkward communication style. Hours later, at a press conference, Taylor gave five non-answers to a straightforward question about whether he supported multiculturalism, leading to negative headlines that overshadowed the Coalition's attacks on Labor's tax changes. Shadow ministers later endorsed Australia's cultural diversity in clear terms, contrasting with Taylor's floundering.
Internal divisions over One Nation strategy
The episode has fueled deeper concerns about Taylor's approach to managing the party's biggest challenge: Pauline Hanson and One Nation. The threat of Hanson's rightwing populism has created a split among Liberals. Some, like shadow minister Tony Pasin and former prime minister Tony Abbott, advocate for preference deals or even carving up seats with One Nation. Others, like shadow minister Andrew Hastie, take a hardline stance against Hanson.
Hastie informed colleagues that he would receive extra security at his home and electorate office due to a One Nation-fuelled online campaign against him. He declared, "I would rather get taken out in a box than bend the knee to One Nation," according to sources. Colleagues interpreted this as frustration with those advocating acquiescence to Hanson, including Taylor.
Polling and byelection disaster
More than four months after Taylor ousted Sussan Ley in a "change or die" moment, the Coalition has failed to make up ground in polls. The latest Newspoll puts the Coalition at 18%, the same level as in February. Taylor also oversaw a catastrophic defeat to One Nation in the Farrer byelection, triggered by Ley's retirement. Some Liberals privately concede Taylor is faring no better, and possibly worse, than the female leader he replaced.
Despite the dire predicament, there is no suggestion Taylor faces an immediate leadership threat, though some Labor MPs suspect the clock is ticking. The events of the past week have sharpened questions about his strategy for confronting One Nation.
Criticism of Taylor's multiculturalism stance
Liberal MP Garth Hamilton said the opposition had received "two blessings" in recent weeks: a "horrible budget" from Labor and Hanson's "horrible speech" to the National Press Club, where she proposed a "monocultural" Australia. Hamilton argued the Coalition should differentiate itself from One Nation by celebrating multicultural Australia while retaining a hardline stance on immigration. However, Taylor stumbled on Tuesday, dodging questions about multiculturalism and asking a reporter, "Do you want to define it for me?"
Taylor later issued a statement supporting a version of multiculturalism, saying, "I believe in an Australia where everyone respects our laws, shares our values and contributes to the fabric of our country." The attempted clarification did little to allay colleagues' concerns, with some questioning if the leader installed to prevent political annihilation may be leading them toward it.
