Toppling the first woman to lead the Liberal Party would be a “terrible look” for female voters, as Sussan Ley’s leadership faces renewed pressure over climate policy.
Ms Ley has been forced to talk down speculation she could face a challenge to her fledgling leadership after two of her main rivals Liberals Angus Taylor and Andrew Hastie, were seen having dinner together in Canberra.
The pair have both voiced their support for dumping the coalition’s commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050.
Infighting over the key climate target has heightened following the decision by the Nationals to scrap the policy.
Monash University politics lecturer Blair Williams said it would be a “terrible look” for the Liberal Party’s first female leader to be dumped by a bunch of men.
“Women are watching,” she told AAP.
“By choosing a woman leader in Ley, they sent a message to Australia to say, ‘We are paying attention to what you said to us at the election’.
“Which is, you need more women and more focus on women’s issues.”
Recent polling has revealed support for the Liberals has plummeted to historic lows, further heaping pressure on the opposition leader.
Ms Ley played down the meeting between the two conservatives in her party and said she was completely confident in her position.
Asked if she was prepared to ditch net zero to save her leadership, Ms Ley said “there are a lot of different opinions in our party room”.
The growing speculation prompted former Nationals leader Michael McCormack to call for his leader to be given clear air and a chance to do the job.
Dr Williams said anyone taking on the reins of the coalition post the disastrous May 3 election defeat would have faced trouble leading the party, but Ms Ley’s position was “made even worse by the fact that she’s a woman”.
Mr Taylor told Sky News that the opposition leader’s position was safe and he believed she was going to take the party to the next election.
A decision on the coalition’s climate policy is expected to be made by the end of 2025.