Ley says Liberals must broaden appeal to win back trust
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The news: Opposition Leader Sussan Ley will declare that her party was “smashed” at the last election and must now win back the trust of voters by appealing to a more diverse cross-section of Australian society.
The context: In a speech to the National Press Club, Ley will signal that she will focus much more on “aspiration” than her predecessor Peter Dutton.
She will also expand on her commitment to better represent “modern Australia” which is “diverse, dynamic and ambitious”.
She will say that her party must be “big enough to represent" the shared experiences of a more diverse country.
Ley is the first female leader to address the Press Club since Julia Gillard on 30 January, 2013, and the first female leader of the opposition.
The Liberal leader will retell her personal story in a bid to introduce herself to the wider electorate, as well as her reflections on the Coalition’s thumping on 3 May.
Ley will also outline some priority areas of public policy, which she’ll champion throughout the term.
What they said: “As leader of the Federal Liberal Party, I will always be honest and upfront with the Australian people,” Ley will say, according to a draft of her speech.
“So, let’s be honest and up front about last month’s election. We didn’t just lose. We got smashed.
“We respect the election outcome with humility. We accept it with contrition. And we must learn from it with conviction.
“When I say the Liberal Party must respect, reflect and represent modern Australia, people have understandably asked: what do we mean by that?
“Modern Australia is diverse, dynamic and ambitious. It is made up of people from every corner of the world. It is families raising children in the suburbs.
“It is young people building careers, renting whilst chasing the home ownership dream, and studying for futures that look very different to the past.
“It is older Australians who helped build this country, who still have so much wisdom to offer, with a strong stake in our nation’s future.
“It is professionals, small business owners, community volunteers, entrepreneurs and everyday workers who deserve to be recognised, not overlooked.”
The source: Opposition Leader's office
