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The newly appointed opposition leader, representing Hume, steps into his role with an impressive background and considerable endorsement from the shadow cabinet, as he assumes the office previously held by Ley in Canberra.
Elected to parliament in 2013, Taylor may not match his predecessor Ley in terms of political tenure, but his credentials speak volumes.
Notably, this father of four is a Rhodes Scholar, a prestigious honor allowing for postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford in England.
Taylor joins a select group of Australian politicians who share this distinction, including former prime ministers Bob Hawke, Tony Abbott, and Malcolm Turnbull.
During his time in the UK, he earned a Master of Economics from Oxford University.
After graduating, Taylor worked as a management consultant in the 1990s at top firm McKinsey and Co and later at Port Jackson partners.
It was this career path that placed him in the company of former Liberal prime minister John Howard, who championed him for a run in politics alongside the then-PM Tony Abbott.
Taylor’s Rhodes scholarship and shiny CV have already been a major talking point in the wake of his spill victory.
The erudite honour may well become an albatross on Taylor’s back as he faces immediate questions about his ability to lead the Liberals.
Turnbull – himself a victim of the Liberal leadership merry-go-round – said Taylor’s qualifications don’t mean he automatically passes muster.
“What they are saying is this guy has all of these degrees and all of these qualifications and he is a Rhodes scholar… the bottom line is he has not delivered the thought of positive policy agendas, real achievements in government that you would expect from somebody those qualifications,” he told the ABC.
Nine’s political editor Charles Croucher said Taylor’s resume certainly carries some weight as he attempts to right the Liberal ship.
“If you were to type in an ideal Liberal Party leader into ChatGPT or something like that, the resume they would spit out would look like Angus Taylor’s,” he said.
“He’s from a well-known family in NSW, went to a private school, got a Rhodes scholarship, worked at some of the best firms, and went into politics and has held all the important roles on the way up.”
Taylor hails from a multi-generational farming family in southern NSW, with his grandfather William Hudson long regarded as the father of the Snowy Mountains hydro-electric scheme.
Taylor’s 13-year rise up the political ladder
After moving his family to Goulburn in 2011 to contest the seat of Hume and officially entering parliament in 2013, Taylor has steadily risen up the political ladder.
He was appointed minister for law enforcement and cybersecurity, before becoming minister for energy under Scott Morrison.
He moved to the opposition bench and became shadow treasurer under Peter Dutton following the Coalition’s 2022 election defeat.
Taylor was the shadow minister for defence under Ley until he resigned earlier this week.
Taylor has been characterised during his career as someone who fights for conservative Liberal values, including championing the free market and the traditional family unit.
Frontbencher James Paterson – who resigned in solidarity with Taylor this week – has described him as “the smartest policy brain in the shadow cabinet”.
During his first speech as Liberal leader, Taylor flagged a hardline stance on immigration and taxes.
He said the standards for migrants entering Australia have been “too low”, before telling voters it was a “mistake” not to offer tax cuts last election.
“We need to be the party of lower taxes, including lower personal income taxes,” he said.
The then-energy minister was caught red-handed congratulating himself on his own social media post about adding 1000 extra carparks in his electorate.
“Fantastic. Great move. Well done Angus,” he wrote in a Facebook comment, posted from his own Angus Taylor MP profile.
The seven-year-old gaffe has come back to haunt Taylor following the leadership spill.
Taylor’s latest posts on Facebook, Instagram and X have been flooded with the same comment.
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