New Opposition Leader Pledges Unity for Canberra Liberals
Mark Parton, former radio presenter and moderate Liberal, has been unanimously elected as the new opposition leader for the Canberra Liberals. He resigned as Legislative Assembly Speaker to take on this role.
A Call to Move Beyond Party Turmoil
Mr Parton urged the party to leave behind internal conflicts, stating:
“It is time for the Canberra Liberals to leave shit behind.”
He emphasized his role as a unifier:
“I've been placed in this position as a unifier, and unify is what I will do.”
Leadership Change Context
This leadership change follows Leanne Castley’s resignation as opposition leader and Jeremy Hanson stepping down as deputy leader, occurring less than two weeks after Ms Castley suspended two party members. Mr Parton chose not to comment on the events prompting the leadership shifts, instead focusing on future goals.
Focus on 2028 Election
Mr Parton highlighted the importance of unity going into the next election:
“I'm absolutely sick to death of having conversations about internal party matters, because I can tell you that people out in the suburbs are not having those conversations.”
He and Deborah Morris aim to align the nine parliamentary members to move forward together:
“...to get nine parliamentary members on the same train heading forward so that we can take on the government in 2028.”
Personal Reflection
Mr Parton described his election as a great honor:
“It is an absolute honour and a privilege to have been elected by my colleagues to lead the party.”
Recognition of Party Divisions
He acknowledged past divisions in the party along ideological lines:
“I believe that in the past, my party has been divided. There's no question, as is the case with many political parties, my party's often been divided by a line that separates the left and the right.”
Author's summary: Mark Parton pledges to unite the Canberra Liberals after a leadership shake-up, focusing on moving past internal conflict ahead of the 2028 government challenge.