Dutton was ejected from the Brisbane seat of Dickson, which he had held for 24 years, by Labor’s Ali France, a single mother and disability advocate and the daughter of former Queensland Labor MP Peter Lawlor.

The Liberal party suffered losses to the teals and other independents and looks to have been largely wiped from capital cities.

Labor looks likely to hold at least 88 seats in the House of Representatives in an extraordinary victory for the party and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Nine political editor Charles Croucher said the “huge loss” should be a “huge lesson for the Liberal party.”

“You cannot continue in the same direction.

“A new leader needs a new direction because the country needs a good opposition.”

So, who are the contenders for opposition leader?

Angus Taylor has served as Dutton’s shadow treasurer and was energy minister in the Morrison government.

He’a been a member of parliament in the seat of Hume, which encompasses parts of Sydney’s south-west fringe and southern rural New South Wales, since 2013.

Taylor has experience on his side and he was at the forefront of the Coalition campaign over the past four weeks. But that may count against him, given the disastrous result.

Andrew Hastie is a former soldier in the army’s Special Air Service (SAS) who served as Dutton’s shadow defence minister.

He was assistant minister for defence in the Morrison government.

Hastie has been the Member for Canning in Western Australia since 2015.

Although he’s a strong contender, representing a Western Australian seat is generally considered a disadvantage for a national political leader.

Sussan Ley has been the deputy Liberal party leader and deputy opposition leader since May 2022.

She has held the rural New South Wales seat of Farrer since 2001.

Ley has served as minister in the health, aged care, sport and environment portfolios in the Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments and is considered a steady hand who Liberals could gather around.

Dan Tehan, the shadow immigration minister, won a hard-fought race in his Victorian seat of Wannon, defeating high-profile independent Alex Dyson.

He’s been the member for Wannon since 2010.

Tehan held defence and veterans affairs portfolios in the Turnbull government and was minister for education in the Morrison government.