New Liberal leader warns: "Change or die" as party faces extinction
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Angus Taylor told supporters the Liberal Party "may not exist" if an election was held today, describing the conservative opposition as being in its "worst position since 1944" in a brutally honest first speech as leader.
Australia’s main conservative party got a blunt reality check from its new boss.
Angus Taylor, 56, was elected Liberal Party leader on February 13, 2026, replacing Susan Lee who led the party through a devastating election loss eight months ago. In his first press conference, Taylor didn’t sugarcoat the situation.
“If an election was held today, our party may not exist by the end of it,” Taylor said at Parliament House in Canberra.
What is the Liberal Party?
The Liberal Party of Australia is the country’s center-right major party, similar to Republicans in the US or Conservatives in the UK. Founded in 1944, it traditionally governs in coalition with the rural-focused National Party. The party currently holds 30 seats in the 151-seat House of Representatives - its worst result in decades.
“We stopped listening”
Taylor’s diagnosis was harsh. He said the party lost its way by abandoning core values, ignoring voters, and choosing “politics of convenience rather than focusing on the politics of conviction.”
“This ends today,” he repeated twice for emphasis.
The admission is striking because Taylor himself was shadow treasurer during the policies he’s now criticizing. He was part of the team that opposed Labor’s tax cuts for middle-income workers in the 2025 election - a decision that became a major campaign liability.
What Taylor promises will change
The new leader outlined several priorities that directly affect young Australians:
Housing: “Re-establish home ownership as the centerpiece of the Australian dream.” Taylor positioned affordable housing as the #1 issue, acknowledging that “so many Australians can’t afford to buy a home.”
Immigration: Tease a “values-based” immigration policy that would screen arrivals based on whether they “subscribe to our core beliefs.” Details remain vague on how this would work in practice.
Taxes: Pledged the party would “ferociously fight” any new taxes on homes, superannuation (Australia’s retirement savings system), or what he called “taxes on our children’s future.”
Energy: Promised to scrap what he called Labor’s “carbon taxes” on vehicles, electricity, and manufacturing.
Economy: Rejected calls from some conservatives for more government intervention, instead backing “economic freedom” through lower regulation and taxes.
The political reality
Taylor faces serious obstacles. His party is historically weak in parliament. One Nation, a right-wing populist party, is eating into the Liberal vote. And he’s trying to convince Australians to trust him after admitting his team “got some big calls wrong.”
Jane Hume, elected as deputy leader, also used the press conference to apologize for recent comments linking the Chinese diaspora to espionage concerns, calling them “ill-considered” and “out of line.”
What happens next
Taylor will release detailed immigration policy “soon,” according to the press conference. He faces his first major test in Parliament on February 17 when the government returns from summer break.
The next federal election must be held by May 2028, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese could call one earlier if he senses Liberal weakness continues.
Taylor’s message to his own supporters: “Many of our supporters are angry. They wanted to see change at the last election and they didn’t see the change that they wanted.”
His promise: Things will be different now. His challenge: Proving it before voters decide the party’s survival.
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