BREAKING: Sussan Ley’s Leadership Teeters on the Brink as Star Recruit Andrew Hastie QUITS Frontbench in Shock Immigration Row
- Western Australian MP Andrew Hastie sensationally quits Sussan Ley’s frontbench over immigration policy
- Hastie, a potential future Liberal leader, refuses to be ‘silent’ on immigration, citing a fundamental principle of the Westminster system
- The shock move has left Ley’s leadership under threat, with high-profile backbenchers Jacinta Price and Jane Hume also speaking out on immigration
Andrew Hastie, the 42-year-old former SAS troop commander and Western Australian MP, has sent shockwaves through the Liberal Party by quitting Sussan Ley’s frontbench over immigration policy. In a bombshell statement, Hastie cited the need to speak out on immigration, refusing to be “silent” on the issue.
“The leader has made it clear that the Shadow Home Affairs Minister won’t lead the Coalition’s response to immigration matters or develop the Coalition’s immigration strategy,” Hastie said. “On this basis, I made the decision that I was not able to continue in this role and remain silent on immigration.”
Hastie’s resignation has sparked concerns about Ley’s leadership, with high-profile backbenchers Jacinta Price and Jane Hume also speaking out on immigration. The Western Australian MP’s move is seen as a significant blow to Ley’s authority, with some questioning her ability to keep her party united.
In a heartfelt statement, Hastie praised Ley’s leadership, saying she “deserves the opportunity to lead, unencumbered by interventions from Shadow Cabinet colleagues, especially as the Coalition builds out a policy platform for the 2028 election.” However, his decision to quit the frontbench has raised eyebrows, with many seeing it as a challenge to Ley’s authority.
Ley has responded to the crisis, announcing that Senator James Paterson will serve as the Acting Shadow Minister for Home Affairs. The Liberal leader has also defended her decision to require Shadow Ministers to comply with the ‘Shadow Ministerial Solidarity’ Convention, citing it as a fundamental feature of the Westminster system of government.
As the Liberal Party grapples with the fallout of Hastie’s resignation, one thing is clear: Sussan Ley’s leadership is under intense scrutiny, and her ability to keep her party united will be tested in the coming weeks.