Angus Taylor Not Sure If He Should Put Hastie In Charge Of Slashing NDIS Or Running Cruel Offshore Detention Centres

CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT

The newest leader of the Federal Opposition is expected to announce his exciting new shadow ministry this afternoon, with the Canberra Press Gallery waiting patiently to see where he parks the Liberal party's troublemakers.

Specifically, the prominent leader of the party's brain-rot faction, Northern Territory senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price - who will likely be given the portfolio of Indigenous Affairs again. This is despite her pleas to be put in charge of auditing the hormone levels of women's athletes.

Another interesting elevation will be West Australian MP, Andrew Hastie. A conservative former army man who has expressed interest in getting involved in an economic portfolio, rather than the most obvious role of Defence Minister.

Hastie had previously resigned from cabinet, as he and Taylor gently rocked the boat throughout Sussan Ley's first year as Liberal leader. The two men had to meet very publicly last month to discuss which one of them would be putting their hands up to replace her as leader, with Hastie agreeing to pull out of the race.

That was then.

Ley has since resigned from Parliament after being rolled, and Hastie is now the alternative leader.

With a by-election now taking place in Ley's old seat of Farrer, all eyes will be on the result to see if the Liberals are still electable as a centre-right party, or will the be pipped by the moderate Independent that won 25% of the primary vote in 2025.

Or will the Nationals win? Or will One Nation win. Whatever the result may be, it will determine whether or not the Liberals need to keep doing what they are doing, or shift further to the centre, or indeed shift further to the far-right.

Andrew Hastie represents the next cab off the rank if the Liberals convince themselves they need to me more right-wing to appease One Nation.

This is why Angus Taylor has a difficult decision today. What it the most unpopular ministry he could possibly assign Hastie too.

Like the time Abbott put Turnbull in charge of slashing the ABC and building the copper wire NBN, will Taylor ask Hastie to be in charge of stripping NDIS funding from vulnerable families? He said he wanted an immigration policy.

Or will he put him in charge of caging stateless women and children on a sweltering Pacific island? It didn't real help Dutton's career to spend a decade as Immigration Minister... But Hastie did say he wanted to be tougher on borders?