As it happened: Liberals confused after Henderson refuses to support Ley; GTA VI delayed again; World leaders criticize Trump at COP30
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Political tensions within Liberal Party
Opposition skills and training spokesman Scott Buchholz warned against interpreting Sussan Ley’s polite demeanor as weakness. The Queensland MP also criticized former leader Peter Dutton’s “authoritarian” style and responded to Victorian Liberal senator Sarah Henderson’s remarks earlier today.
“I see Sussan doing incredible things, given the circumstances that she’s had to deal with. I think what the party’s struggling with is the style of leadership that Susan brings,” Buchholz said after a party event in Canberra.
“Don’t mistake her feminine politeness for weakness. We have come from a previous leadership style of authoritarian [under Dutton] to now a consultative, and some people mistake that, but there are just different styles of leadership.”
When informed about Henderson’s comments on Ley’s leadership, Buchholz described them as “career-limiting” and noted that the party is still recovering from its election defeat in May, needing time to heal.
Live update from Melbourne
Alexander Darling in Melbourne has taken over news coverage from Kayla Olaya, reporting on a busy hour of developments.
Author’s summary: Internal party challenges highlight differing leadership styles as the Liberals struggle to unite after electoral losses and public criticism.