Leader Vows to Unite Party Amid Turmoil
Mark Parton, former radio presenter and moderate Liberal, has been unanimously elected as the new opposition leader for the Canberra Liberals. He pledged to help the party move forward after recent leadership changes.
New Leadership and Party Changes
- Mark Parton resigned as Legislative Assembly Speaker to take on the leadership role.
- Leanne Castley stepped down as opposition leader.
- Jeremy Hanson resigned as deputy leader.
- The leadership shakeup occurred less than two weeks after Castley suspended two party members.
Commitment to Unity
"I've been placed in this position as a unifier, and unify is what I will do," Mr. Parton said.
"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 expressed determination to bring the nine parliamentary members together to face the government in the 2028 election.
"It is an absolute honour and a privilege to have been elected by my colleagues to lead the party."
Focus on the Future
Mark Parton declined to discuss the circumstances that led to the leadership change. Instead, he aims to overcome past divisions within the party, particularly the ideological split between left and right factions.
"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 unify the Canberra Liberals, moving past recent internal conflicts to strengthen the party for the 2028 election.