Stars align for Frydenberg comeback. That could eclipse Taylor

September 4, 2026 — 5:00am

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This should have been a cracking week for the opposition, with house prices falling across the country, new economic data that showed real wages aren’t growing, the increasing chance of another interest rate rise, and Labor licking its wounds after losing a state seat to One Nation in Western Australia.

Instead, despite its best efforts, the Coalition has been peripheral, offering criticism but barely cutting through.

Inside the parliamentary Liberal Party there is a growing recognition among MPs that leader Angus Taylor simply isn’t shifting the dial. Support for the Coalition has gone backwards since Taylor took over, and it now trails both One Nation and Labor, despite growing antipathy towards Anthony Albanese and Labor.

As one long-time member of the party puts it: “The conservatives have been fine with moderates losing their seats. But now they are going to get wiped out by Hanson. If we keep going this way, people like Tony Pasin, Rick Wilson and Garth Hamilton lose their seats to One Nation.”

In June, it was Pasin, a close ally of Taylor, who called for the Liberals and One Nation to form a quasi-alliance and divvy up the seats they would contest. The idea was quickly shot down.

Hamilton, to his credit, has decided to take the fight to One Nation despite its popularity in Queensland. However, Wilson, who has been in parliament since 2013, has barely been seen or heard.

Liberal MPs are despairing because the list of alternative leaders is short, and all three possibles – Andrew Hastie, Tim Wilson and, at a stretch, Dan Tehan – have significant hurdles to clear.

The best-placed person to lead the Liberal Party back to political relevance, if not government, may........

© The Age