It is an enormous privilege to have been elected the Leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party. I thank my Liberal colleagues for the trust that they have placed in me. I am humbled, I am honoured, and I am up for the job.
Australians sent a clear message at the election. We must listen, change and develop a fresh approach. To all Australians, those who did vote for us and those who didn't, we will work day and night to earn your trust over the next three years.
Now more than ever, the Federal Liberal Party must respect modern Australia, reflect modern Australia and represent modern Australia.
Crucial to that work, will be the new Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, Ted O'Brien, who I congratulate and look forward to working with closely. Ted has great policy skills and is a strong communicator. Along with Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash and Senator the Hon. Anne Ruston, our leadership team is ready for the challenges ahead.
I want to particularly acknowledge Angus Taylor. We have worked closely together in the Parliament for almost 12 years as ministers and colleagues. He is one of the brightest minds in our party room and will be an integral member of our Liberal team.
Our party values are enduring and they are optimistic. We believe in the freedom of the individual, reward for hard work and strong families being at the centre of a successful society.
The Australians that Robert Menzies called "the forgotten people" and John Howard called his "battlers" remain at the heart of our nation. They are the nurses, small business owners, tradies, teachers, farmers, parents and retirees who ask for little but contribute a lot.
They're also now the young professionals and first-generation Australians in our major cities who are incredibly concerned about getting ahead and getting into their first home. They want to go about their lives knowing they have security, opportunity, and a say in their own future. The Liberal Party that I lead will always have these Australians, and their aspirations, front of mind.
We accept that many Australian women felt neglected by the Liberal Party and that we must reconnect with them and rebuild trust.
We know that in three years time, as a result of Labor's policies, Australians will be worse off.
But as we learned ten days ago, that will not be enough to win an election.
Australians want a real alternative. They deserve a real alternative. And we will give them a real alternative.
This means standing for lower, simpler, and fairer taxes - not as an economic ideology, but because we trust people to spend their own money more than we do the government.
It means taking education seriously, not for slogans or funding battles, but because knowledge and critical thinking are so important - especially for our children.
It means supporting families not just with payments, but with policies that respect their choices - in childcare, housing, education, and retirement.
And it means building a strong, sovereign Australia - confident in its values, prepared to defend them, and clear-eyed about the global challenges we face.
The Liberal Party will take the time to get it right. We will listen, we will step up, we will modernise and we will rebuild. We will be a strong alternative and win the trust of Australians once again.
