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Recriminations from senior Coalition figures have started flowing and the Liberals are searching for a new leader after a crushing loss to Labor on Saturday night led Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to lose his seat of Dickson.
Frontbenchers were already organising meetings for Sunday morning to discuss the leadership as Angus Taylor, Andrew Hastie, Dan Tehan and Sussan Ley emerged as contenders.
Peter Dutton goes to cast his vote in Dickson on Saturday. Credit: James Brickwood
Treasurer Jim Chalmers put an early target on Taylor, the shadow treasurer, by saying he should bear responsibility for the Coalition’s defeat. “He shouldn’t escape the blame,” Chalmers said on Saturday night.
“I think Peter Dutton will be accountable for what has happened here, but he shouldn’t be accountable on his own for what’s happened here. I think Angus Taylor has been one of the biggest reasons why we have outperformed expectations, and I say that as his direct opponent.
“I couldn’t believe my luck politically when they opposed the tax cuts and said they would legislate higher income taxes on 14 million Australians … that was one of the dumbest things I have ever seen.”