Revenge of the right: Hanson readies for run against Lee

Leadership speculation is swirling around Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee after Saturday’s election loss, with her former deputy Jeremy Hanson reportedly preparing a move against her when members meet for the first time.

The Canberra Liberals’ right wing is believed to be sharpening their knives for Ms Lee, who dragged the party to the centre in a bid to be more palatable to the electorate.

In a Facebook post that read like he was putting his hand up, Mr Hanson said the result was very disappointing for the Liberal Party overall given there was such a mood for change.

“We should have done much better and instead the party has gone backwards in votes and seats since 2016 [under him as leader] when we won 11 seats,” he said.

“The people of Canberra need us to do better and I look forward to working hard over the next four years to serve my electorate but to also help position the Liberal Party for a much better result in 2028.”

The fate of any challenge rests in how the party room will shape up after the final seats are decided.

The Liberals could have 10 or nine seats in the new Legislative Assembly, depending on the outcome in Brindabella where there is a three-way tussle for the fifth seat.

On Saturday night, it appeared James Daniels would secure a third seat for the Liberals with a big early swing, but as the count continues, both the Greens’ Laura Nuttall and Labor’s Mick Gentleman have come back into reckoning.

Mr Daniels had the backing of moderate Gary Humphries, so he would likely strengthen Ms Lee’s hand, as would the demise of Hanson supporter Ed Cocks in Murrumbidgee, who is battling it out with Amardeep Singh for a second Liberal seat.

But if Mr Daniels fails to make it, the return of Mr Cocks combined with newcomer Chiaka Barry in Ginninderra could make the difference in such a closely divided party room.

Party figures have come out against lurching back to the right.

On election night, retiring MLA Nicole Lawder said that some in the party were more interested in wielding power than winning elections, pointing the finger at powerful players who have pushed the party too far to the right.

On Sunday, Ms Lee said she agreed.

“I don’t think she’s wrong,” Ms Lee said.

“Obviously, there is a lot of work to do to make us electable, and certainly, one of the things that I’ve had in terms of feedback has been, ‘Thank you for, you know, making the party more electable’.”

The party so far has suffered a 1 per cent swing against it and could not replicate its 4.5 per cent swing to it in Brindabella elsewhere.

Frontbencher Mark Parton, who polled highest in that seat, also agreed with Ms Lawder’s assessment and warned against any move back to the right, throwing his full support behind Ms Lee.

“I think it would apply to some party members and I would say to those members who are sitting back saying, ‘Oh, we’ve got to push off hard to the right’, where is it that you guys expect that we would pick up those extra votes because there were a couple of parties and individuals who are much further to the right than the Liberals who ran in the election and they haven’t fared well at all,” he told the ABC.

“So sure, we might gather some votes from Family First or the Belco Party. Where else do you reckon we’re going to get votes from? Do you think if we push to the right that we’re going to get votes from the Greens? Do you think we’re going to get votes from Labor? Like, get a grip here?”

Mr Parton said the centre was the only place from where the Liberals could win an election in the ACT.

Mr Hanson lost the deputy leadership last December after a party room spill, in which Leanne Castley emerged as the winner.