New Opposition Leader Angus Taylor says housing affordability and cost of living will be key priorities under his leadership.
Today marks his first official day on the job after he decisively ousted Sussan Ley in a leadership spill yesterday.
Mr Taylor and his newly anointed deputy, Victorian senator Jane Hume, spent the morning in his hometown of Goulburn, north of Canberra, speaking to builders and young families.
“Owning a home has always been an essential part of the Australian ideal, of the Australian journey, of what young Australians do as they start a family and I think it’s an essential part of being part of this great nation,” he said.
While it is unclear what policies Mr Taylor will offer to tackle Australia’s housing crisis, he said he planned to accelerate developments by cutting red tape and winding back regulations.
Mr Taylor also flagged the Opposition would push back on any changes to the capital gains tax discount, which benefits property investors when they sell their properties.
“If you tax something more, you get less of it,” he said.
The Albanese government is considering policies to address the housing crisis and has not ruled out changes to the capital gains tax discount for investors, but wants any tax changes to improve housing affordability.
After losing the Liberal Party leadership ballot to Mr Taylor on Friday, Ms Ley announced she would be resigning from parliament, which will trigger a by-election in the south-western NSW seat of Farrer.
Mr Taylor conceded it would be difficult for the Liberal Party to retain the seat.
“Of course it’s going to be challenging, Farrer will be challenging, it will be a cast of many but we’re going to be out there fighting for our values, fighting for what we believe in,” he said.
“We need to demonstrate to ordinary Australians that we stand for their values, their way of life.”
An independent candidate who is putting her hand up for Farrer said locals were tired of the Coalition’s infighting.
Taylor’s first big test comes from the leader he deposed
Michelle Milthorpe attempted to unseat Ms Ley at last year’s federal election, winning 20 per cent of the primary vote.
“For too long the people of Farrer have been left wanting,” she said.
“Party politics too often gets in the way of practical outcomes and, to be frank, people are sick of it.”
Farrer has been considered a safe conservative seat since its creation in 1949, and has only been represented by four MPs in more than seven decades.
Ms Ley has held the seat since 2001, when she succeeded retiring long-time Nationals member Tim Fischer.
In the 2025 election, Ms Ley defeated Ms Milthorpe with a margin of only 6.2 per cent after preferences.
And with One Nation rising in the polls at the same time the Coalition has been falling, and the Nationals also likely to run a candidate, the fight for Farrer is likely to be tough.
Quiet on shadow cabinet
In Goulburn, Mr Taylor was tight-lipped when pressed about his plans for the shadow cabinet, saying he had “a lot of talented people” to choose from.
Senator Hume and Mr Taylor said they needed to get to work challenging Labor on the cost of living, interest rates, inflation and immigration.
“Immigration numbers are too high and standards too low,” Mr Taylor said.
“We need an immigration policy true to our Australian values.
“If people want to come to our country, they cannot bring hatred and violence.”