Durack MHR Melissa Price unsuccessful in deputy bid, but pledges ‘unwavering support’ for party’s new leaders

Durack MHR Melissa Price has pledged her “unwavering support” behind the new Liberal leadership team of Angus Taylor and Jane Hume despite supporting ousted leader Sussan Ley. The long-time Liberal MP threw her hat in the ring, nominating for the deputy role after Mr Taylor beat Ms Ley in a leadership vote 34-17 on Friday morning. However out of four contenders, Ms Price was eliminated from the deputy race first, with only two votes, before Ms Hume was eventually elected to the second-in-charge role. Ms Price said she felt compelled to nominate for deputy to show the party had a diverse range of people willing to put their hand up. “Although I was unsuccessful in the ballot, I am proud I nominated,” she said. “I felt it was an opportunity for Western Australia to have a strong voice in the leadership team to represent the issues that matter most to regional Western Australians.” Ms Price said the time for the Liberals talking about themselves was finally over, and the focus needed to be on holding the Albanese Government to account and developing strong alternative policies. “Australians are feeling the hurt from rising interest rates, high inflation, and record government spending . . . we need to present ourselves as a credible alternative government. I look forward to playing my part in that,” she said. Ms Price said the “resounding win” to Mr Taylor should make it easier for the party to come together. She said Mr Taylor and Ms Hume were both “experienced” and “capable” and would make a “good combination.” “(Australians are) tired of us talking about ourselves, goodness knows we’ve been tired talking about ourselves, Australians want us to get back to being the best opposition that we possibly can be,” Ms Price told Sky News on Friday. “Frankly with all this talk about ourselves they’ve (Federal Government) been getting off scot-free, so we need to knuckle down and get behind Angus and get behind Jane.” Ms Price said she did not feel Ms Ley, the party’s first female Federal leader, was given a fair go in her nine months in the top job, believing she should have been afforded more time “to try to turn the ship around” given the immense rebuilding task inherited by her after the 2025 Federal election loss. Ms Ley will be resigning from Parliament, forcing a by-election and an early test for the Taylor-led Liberals in her NSW seat of Farrer.