Hume truths
Angus Taylor and Jane Hume both bore the brunt of criticism over the Coalition's economic policies after its election disaster. But only one of them has been dumped from the frontbench.
Immediately after the Coalition’s election wipeout, Liberal MPs pinned much of the blame on two of the party’s most senior economic figures: treasury spokesman Angus Taylor and finance spokeswoman Jane Hume.
Today, new leader Sussan Ley wielded the axe, shifting Taylor into a less prestigious portfolio, defence, and banishing Hume to the backbench.
Given new deputy Liberal leader Ted O’Brien had his pick and was widely expected to choose the Treasury portfolio, Taylor was always likely to be shifted. But his seniority meant he was never seriously threatened with banishment to the backbench.
The demotion of Hume, who was assumed by many to be safe, was far more surprising and shows Ley’s intent to distance herself from the Peter Dutton era. Former education spokeswoman Sarah Henderson was another casualty.
