Tasmanian senator Jonno Duniam has resigned from the shadow cabinet amid a growing exodus of Liberal frontbenchers, as Angus Taylor mounts a leadership challenge against Sussan Ley.
Duniam, who served as shadow home affairs minister and manager of opposition business in the senate, submitted his resignation on Thursday morning.
“This decision was not arrived at easily and was made with a heavy heart,” he said in a statement.
“I have consistently and publicly said over the last two weeks that the commentary and debate relating to internal party matters, especially the Liberal leadership, must come to an end.”
“Such a stance puts me at odds with being able to remain in the Liberal leadership team and in the shadow cabinet and I have therefore tendered my resignation.”
Fellow Tasmanian senator Claire Chandler also quit the frontbench on Thursday, telling supporters the party had ‘let them down’ under Ley’s leadership.
Several Liberal frontbenchers have now stepped down, with Taylor’s supporters calling for an urgent party room meeting to trigger a leadership spill.
While Duniam stopped short of explicitly backing Taylor, he acknowledged collective responsibility for the party’s dire position.
“No one person, including a leader, can be held entirely responsible for the electoral position of a party,” he said.
“An enormous team effort is now required to turn this ship around.”
“Sussan has worked harder than many will ever know and I have stood with her all the way, but this matter must now be resolved and our party needs to get on with the job of winning back the trust of Australians.”
The crisis follows a Newspoll showing Coalition support at just 18%, with One Nation surging to 27%.
Ley recorded a net satisfaction rating of minus 39, making her the most unpopular major party leader in more than two decades.
A leadership ballot is expected by the end of the week.
