But Mr O’Brien insisted the majority of Liberals backed the current leader, as politicians prepared to return to Canberra for the first full sitting fortnight of the year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“As for whether or not there will be a challenge, I don’t believe we’re walking into a period where there will be. But I don’t know the future either,” the shadow treasurer told ABC’s Insiders.<\/p>\n
“The convention is if one does not support the leader, they step aside. Angus hasn’t done that. So my running assumption is he continues to support Sussan Ley in her leadership.”<\/p>\n
Mr O’Brien would not comment on whether it was appropriate for a shadow cabinet member to participate in a meeting to discuss the party’s leadership, repeatedly stating he did not know what was discussed when a group of five Liberals got together hours before a memorial service for their former colleague on Thursday<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hastie rules out challenge to Sussan Ley<\/a><\/p>\n The West Australian backbencher had made no secret of his desire to lead the party but says he will not run against Sussan Ley this week, a move which could pave the way for Angus Taylor.<\/p>\n “I wasn’t there, I’m not going to pretend I know. And I’m not going to come on your show and make things up for you. I wasn’t in the meeting. I don’t know. Period,” he said.<\/p>\n The meeting in Melbourne, which included Mr Hastie and Mr Taylor along with fellow conservatives Jonathan Duniam, James Paterson and Matt O’Sullivan, did not result in a clear decision on who was best placed to run for leader<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n A day later, however, Mr Hastie issued a statement saying it was clear he did not “have the support needed to become leader of the Liberal Party”.<\/p>\n Opposition MPs from across factions do not expect a spill in the coming week, but a move is still anticipated within months.<\/p>\n In the event of a leadership challenge, Mr O’Brien said he would not throw his hat in the ring and that he was focused on being shadow treasurer.\u00a0<\/p>\n “I haven’t found anybody in the Liberal Party who has disagreed with the decisions taken by Sussan Ley,” he said.<\/p>\n Liberal frontbencher Anne Ruston also said she did not think there would be a spill against Ms Ley in the coming fortnight.\u00a0<\/p>\n “There’s obviously been speculation but I quite frankly believe entirely that Sussan Ley has the support of the party room and that she will remain leader into the future,” she told Sky News.<\/p>\n “Talking about and speculating about leadership does nothing to serve the important issues that the Australian public are facing.”<\/p>\n Health Minister Mark Butler said he did not understand “how Angus Taylor is still on the frontbench” given last week’s clandestine meeting.<\/p>\n “At least Andrew Hastie did the right thing, the honourable thing, and went to the backbench,” he said.<\/p>\n “Angus Taylor is still pretending to be a shadow minister while plotting against his own leader.”<\/p>\n Nationals facing own leadership challenge<\/p>\n It comes as Nationals leader David Littleproud stares down a separate attack on his leadership, after the minor party split from the Coalition for the second time in a year.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Nationals will meet on Monday afternoon and Mr Littleproud will face a spill motion launched by Flynn MP Colin Boyce, who has called for the Coalition to reunite.<\/p>\n Mr Littleproud has delayed discussions over the future of the Coalition due to the challenge, despite no serious suggestion that it will succeed.<\/p>\n Liberal leader Sussan Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud. (ABC News: Callum Flinn)<\/p>\n The Nationals leader on Sunday defended his party’s decision to split with the Liberals over Labor’s hate speech legislation<\/a>, which was rushed through parliament last month.\u00a0<\/p>\n “We went to Canberra and did what you expect us to, actually scrutinise law, to make sure we get it right,” he told Nine.<\/p>\n Mr Littleproud also said Mr Boyce was within his rights to move a spill motion and that he would accept whatever the result.<\/p>\n Tony Abbott intervenes in Liberal leadership battle<\/a><\/p>\n Former prime minister Tony Abbott has intervened in the Liberal leadership race, urging conservatives to unite behind either Angus Taylor or Andrew Hastie in their bid to oust Sussan Ley from the top job.<\/p>\n![\"Liberal](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/bb32b988f7f703bb16571b41f4c70e8e.jpeg\")
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