Hanson Taps Abbott for Liberal Leadership, Criticizes Taylor

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has named former Prime Minister Tony Abbott as her preferred candidate to lead the Liberal Party, while also delivering sharp criticism of the current Liberal leader, Angus Taylor, describing him as a "smarmy management consultant." Hanson made these remarks in Brisbane on Saturday during the Australian Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), where both the Liberal-Coalition and One Nation were seeking to appeal to right-wing voters.

Senator Hanson indicated a willingness to collaborate with the Coalition to unseat the Labor government, suggesting that neither One Nation nor the Liberals could govern effectively alone. However, she also dismissed Liberal leadership hopeful and shadow treasurer Tim Wilson, calling him "full of himself" and "woke," and referencing his past criticism of One Nation as a "racist party."

She stated that Tony Abbott, who also serves as the current Liberal Party president, has the best prospect of leading the party. Hanson also commented that she had a "reasonably good" relationship with Josh Frydenberg, a former Liberal treasurer reportedly considering a political comeback after losing his seat in 2022.

During the conference, Taylor, alongside Nationals leader Matt Canavan, presented the Coalition as "unashamedly on the right." Taylor also rejected the idea, floated by Frydenberg, of raising the Goods and Services Tax (GST) while lowering income taxes, stating that the Coalition would not increase taxes amidst a cost-of-living crisis.

Opposition energy spokesman Dan Tehan stated the Coalition would repeal Labor's net-zero emissions policies. His Labor counterpart, Chris Bowen, criticized the Liberal Party and One Nation for engaging in a "race to the right."

Journalists were reportedly denied the opportunity to question leaders at the conference, with some being refused entry. CPAC was first introduced to Australia in 2019.