Outspoken MP and Liberal leadership aspirant Andrew Hastie has quit the opposition front bench in a move that will likely further destabilise Sussan Ley’s control over the beleaguered party.
The Western Australian MP said he resigned from shadow cabinet after Ley made it clear he would not lead the coalition’s response to immigration matters despite his role as opposition home affairs spokesman.
“On this basis, I made the decision that I was not able to continue in this role and remain silent on immigration,” Hastie said in a statement on Friday evening.
“It is a well-established standard in the Westminster system that, if a member of the shadow cabinet is unwilling to live by the convention of solidarity, they must depart to the backbench.
“Therefore, out of respect for Sussan’s leadership, I am resigning from the frontbench.”
But in a statement released shortly after Hastie’s, the opposition leader appeared to contradict his version of events.
He told her in a phone call that he “would be unable to comply” with the “longstanding and well-understood requirement” of shadow cabinet solidarity and would therefore be resigning his position, Ley said.
Ley said Hastie told her he could not comply with shadow cabinet solidarity, but did not raise any policy matters. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch
“Mr Hastie did not raise any matters relating to policy on this call,” she said.
Victorian senator James Paterson will serve as acting opposition spokesman for home affairs ahead of formal changes to shadow cabinet.
“It is disappointing that this crucial opposition portfolio has been left vacant today,” Ley said.
Hastie’s exit comes after he publicly pushed for net-zero emissions goals to be dropped and migration to be curbed, as well as touting himself as a future leadership aspirant.
Among a series of social media posts linking immigration to housing shortages, Hastie said: “We’re starting to feel like strangers in our own home.”
Liberals have privately expressed frustration at being forced to talk about themselves rather than attack Labor or build voter support, fearing they’re losing more momentum after a dire May election result.
Hastie said Ley deserved the opportunity to lead “unencumbered by interventions from shadow cabinet colleagues” as the coalition built out its policy platform for the next election.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to have served as the shadow home affairs minister and I wish Sussan and the shadow cabinet every success in this term,” he said.
Hastie previously threatened to resign from the opposition frontbench if the emissions policy was retained, although he did not make the same stand under former leader Peter Dutton.
The 43-year-old has garnered support from Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, who was removed from the shadow ministry for failing to back Ley’s leadership and not apologising for comments singling out the Indian community.