New Opposition Leader Pledges Unity for Canberra Liberals
Mark Parton, a former radio presenter and moderate Liberal, has been unanimously elected as the new opposition leader for the Canberra Liberals. He resigned as Legislative Assembly Speaker to take on this role.
Commitment to Unify the Party
Mr. Parton declared his mission to bring unity to the party after a period of internal turmoil. He said,
“I've been placed in this position as a unifier, and unify is what I will do.”
He emphasized moving beyond internal conflicts, stating,
“I'm absolutely sick to death of having conversations about internal party matters, because I can tell you that people out in the suburbs are not having those conversations.”
Background and Leadership Change
- Leanne Castley quit as opposition leader.
- Jeremy Hanson stepped down as deputy leader.
- These resignations followed Ms. Castley suspending two party members.
Mr. Parton and Deborah Morris aim to unify the nine parliamentary members to prepare for the 2028 government challenge:
“I am here, along with Deborah Morris, to get nine parliamentary members on the same train heading forward so that we can take on the government in 2028.”
Focus on the Future
While not commenting on the internal issues that prompted the leadership change, Mr. Parton highlighted past divisions within the party:
“I believe that in the past, my party has been divided. There's no question, as is the case with many political parties, my party's often been divided by a line that separates the left and the right.”
He described it as an honour to lead the Liberals:
“It is an absolute honour and a privilege to have been elected by my colleagues to lead the party.”
Author’s summary: Mark Parton takes charge of the Canberra Liberals with a strong pledge to unify the divided party and focus on winning the 2028 election.