LIBERAL LEADERSHIP CRISIS DEEPENS: Elizabeth Lee and Peter Cain BANISHED from Canberra Liberals party room in dramatic fallout
- Former party leader Elizabeth Lee and backbencher Peter Cain suspended indefinitely after defying party leader Leanne Castley on a key vote
- Pair crossed the floor to vote against reducing the number of sitting days next year, sparking fierce backlash from party leaders
- Lee and Cain vow to remain loyal to the Liberal Party despite being ostracized, saying they exercised their right as backbenchers to cross the floor
In a stunning move that has sent shockwaves through the Canberra Liberals, former party leader Elizabeth Lee and backbencher Peter Cain have been suspended indefinitely from the party room after they defied leader Leanne Castley on a key vote. The dramatic fallout has left the party reeling, with Lee and Cain vowing to remain loyal despite being banished from the party room.
The crisis erupted yesterday when Lee and Cain crossed the floor to vote against reducing the number of sitting days next year, a move that was seen as a direct challenge to Castley’s authority. The pair were subsequently informed that they were temporarily suspended from the party room, but today it was confirmed that the suspension would be indefinite.
In a press conference, Lee confirmed that both she and Cain had been “suspended indefinitely” from the party room, saying that she stood by her decision to cross the floor. “I still stand by my position that I exercised my right as a Liberal Party backbencher,” she said. “We have a long history of allowing backbenchers to vote differently – to cross the floor.”
Cain echoed Lee’s sentiments, saying that he was “beyond surprised” by the party room decision but refused to back down. “I joined a party that exhibited vision for our city and country, and I joined a party that had tolerance and a broad church acceptance of different views,” he said. “That’s the party I joined.”
The Liberal Party’s handling of the crisis has been slammed by some, with Federal Liberal senator Sarah Henderson saying that crossing the floor was an important principle in the Liberal Party. “Being able to cross the floor is a very important principle in the Liberal Party,” she said. “It’s one of the big differences between the Liberal Party and the Labor Party.”
Meanwhile, Liberal Whip Ed Cocks has issued a statement saying that discussions and outcomes from the party room meeting should not have been circulated to the media, and that the matter would be resolved through established party processes.
The suspension of Lee and Cain has sparked a fierce debate within the Liberal Party, with some members backing Castley’s decision and others questioning the party’s commitment to allowing backbenchers to vote with their conscience.
As the crisis continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the Canberra Liberals are in the midst of a full-blown leadership crisis, and it remains to be seen how the party will emerge from this period of intense turmoil.