Acting Liberal leader Sussan Ley has offered frontbench positions to MPs in return for their support in the party’s leadership contest, according to a source familiar with the discussions.

MPs allegedly promised jobs include the leader of her centre-right faction, Alex Hawke, communications spokesperson Melissa McIntosh, multicultural affairs spokesman Jason Wood, and Queensland backbencher Scott Buchholz. Sources close to all four denied they received offers.

Mr Wood called on the party reach agreement on a leader and deputy, avoiding a vote that could further strain a party already reeling from the election loss.

“What we want, which is best for the the future of the Liberal Party, is a unity ticket and everyone to put that first, rather than any individual aspirations,” he said. “If we don’t, we won’t be in government for many elections.”

The choice of leader, which is expected mid next week, is a crucial first step towards the Liberal Party rebuilding itself after a devastating election loss that left even some supporters questioning the party’s long-term future.

The leading candidates bring contrasting styles to the contest. Mr Ley supported left-wing causes early in her political career, siding with the Palestinians over Israel, and flirting with numerology. Angus Taylor is a Christian social conservative.

Mr Taylor seems to be narrowly ahead, according to three sources, although even insiders admit the competition is hard to gauge because, in the words of one: “The only person you can trust is the one who tells you they aren’t voting for you.”

Colleagues do not know if immigration spokesman Dan Tehan will enter the contest, either for the leadership or deputy’s position. “He has been sounding people out,” said one MP.

Mr Taylor has the support of most but not all members of his right-wing faction, which represents an estimated 40 per cent of the 55 to 58 Federal Liberals expected to be elected, Liberal sources said.

Ms Ley’s purported job offers have cost Mr Taylor some support as well as the blame directed to him for the Coalition’s poor election performance, party insiders said. So far Mr Taylor has not promised any potential supporters jobs, a source said.

“Sussan is being much more transactional,” one person involved in negotiations said. “She is offering specific positions. There is a pathway for her but it’s not a very stable approach.”

Ms Ley, who has not publicly declared her candidacy, did not respond to a request for comment. Neither did Mr Taylor.

Ms Ley is a member of the small centre-right faction led by Mr Hawke, a Sydney MP. She has the support of the left faction, also known as the moderates, which represents approximately one quarter to one third of all Liberal MPs.

Newly elected Melbourne MP Tim Wilson has also been talked about as a contender. He refused to rule himself out on Wednesday morning when he declared victory in Goldstein, the only “teal” seat won back by the Coalition.

Other MPs are sceptical he has enough support to defeat the more experienced Mr Taylor or Ms Ley.

Mr Wilson expressed interested in an economic portfolio. Some MPs would like Mr Taylor to choose the 45-year-old gay man as his running mate, arguing he can help rebuild the party’s support in the inner cities, where it has almost been wiped out.

But the two men are not close and a joint-ticket is unlikely, even though Mr Wilson briefly worked as Mr Taylor’s parliamentary secretary in the Morrison Coalition government, sources said.

Other MPs who have told colleagues they might run for deputy leader include Ms McIntosh, Senator Sarah Henderson and Ted O’Brien, the architect of the Coalition’s nuclear-power policy, according to one Liberal source. Ms McIntosh and O’Brien declined to comment. Ms Henderson did not respond to a request for comment.

Finance spokeswoman Jane Hume has ruled herself out of contention.

https://thenightly.com.au/politics/federal-election-2025/liberal-leadership-contender-sussan-ley-promising-jobs-for-votes-as-mps-push-to-replace-peter-dutton-c-18612225

YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.