By Duncan Murray in Melbourne
Plans to undo Labor’s tax-break reforms and net-zero commitments have dominated a key address by Angus Taylor.
The opposition leader fronted a Liberal Party federal council meeting in Melbourne on Saturday, with the national gathering of party heavyweights an opportunity for him to firm up support and confidence after taking the top job in February.
Since his ascension, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has claimed a historic victory in the Farrer by-election and the outspoken right-wing senator has surged in popularity.
“Ours is the only party capable of defeating and replacing this rotten Labor government,” Mr Taylor told the meeting.
Accusing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of starting a war on aspiration with the recent federal budget, Mr Taylor promised to scrap sweeping reforms to negative gearing, capital gains taxes and trusts, which he labelled “toxic”.
“Battlelines have been drawn with this budget,” he said.
“It’s clear the coalition and Labor stand for completely different things.”
He also reiterated promises to withdraw net-zero commitments, reduce migration numbers and end welfare for non-citizens.
Mr Taylor said the country had let in people with the “wrong values” under Labor and promised to tie migration numbers to surplus housing supply.
“Numbers are too high, the standards are too low and both must change,” he said.
“We must shut the door to those who want to import the hatred and violence of another place to our country.”
Before Mr Taylor’s speech, the council meeting unanimously voted in support of migration policy changes that would allow the potential deportation of visa-holders who breached “values” based on standards including speech and religion.
Minimum English language proficiency would also become a visa requirement under the proposed policy, which would freeze all non-priority permanent visas including parent and partner-child visas.
Mr Taylor has been accused of leaning further into right-wing policies to avoid losing voters amid a rise in support for One Nation.
ACT Opposition Leader Mark Parton told the meeting of Liberals they should learn from Ms Hanson’s “perceived sincerity”, which was capturing the attention of voters.
“It seeks to narrow the divide between regular Australians’ perceptions of where they sit and the political elite, because that’s how they see it,” he said.
“We have to engage, we have to listen and we have to represent people.”
West Australian Opposition Leader and former AFL sportscaster Basil Zempilas threw his support behind Taylor, comparing the Liberal Party to the Carlton Football Club.
“The team who were down and out just a few weeks ago changed their coach … and suddenly they are knocking on the door of the finals,” Mr Zempilas said.
He said there was a clear difference since Mr Taylor took over from Sussan Ley as federal Liberal leader.
“We have a game plan, we have clarity,” he said.
Deputy leader Jane Hume took up the message of a party led by Mr Taylor cleaning up Labor’s messes, counting on voter dissatisfaction with what she called economic mismanagement and over-regulation.
“We must fight to protect our way of life and to restore our standard of living,” she told the meeting.
At Friday’s meeting, former prime minister Tony Abbott was elected unopposed as party president, taking on the unpaid role which includes helping shape policy and guiding campaign strategy.
He told party faithful the challenge ahead was to persuade Australians the Liberals remained the most credible alternative to form government.
“As the last successful federal leader of the opposition, I do believe that I have the ability to help Angus Taylor to be the next successful federal leader of the opposition,” Mr Abbott said.
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