Angus Taylor and Peter Dutton in parliament in March.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
“Peter Dutton has run a completely unified team. It beggars belief a senior member would go against the leadership in a successful attempt to disrupt the shadow ministerial team,” Hughes said,pointing out the convention of sitting MPs backing incumbent colleagues in candidate selection contests.
“This is a message to colleagues that some people’s ambition is more focused on themselves rather than the betterment of the team.”
The extraordinary row within the shadow ministry,a rare outbreak of Coalition disunity this term,stems fromTaylor’s decision to back challenger Jessica Collins,a Lowy Institute fellow,against sitting senators Hughes and Andrew Bragg.
Collins,who spruiked Taylor’s written endorsement to Liberal members before last month’s vote,won more votes than Hughes,191-167. This allowed Collins to join Bragg in the winnable positions and effectively boots Hughes from parliament after the next election,which is expected to be held no later than next May.
Hollie Hughes has been turfed from a winnable spot on the Liberals’ NSW Senate ticket at the next election.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
The extent to which Taylor’s support helped Collins is unclear,as the shadow treasurer has backed losing candidates in previous preselections.
“This was a decision made by hundreds of grassroots members of the NSW Liberal Party,” Taylor said. “I look forward to supporting all of our endorsed candidates at the upcoming federal election.”