Leanne Castley has replaced Jeremy Hanson as Deputy Leader of the ACT Opposition – a change Canberra Liberals leader Elizabeth Lee believes will provide the party with a strong leadership team going into the 2024 election.

The Canberra Liberals’ party room elected Ms Castley after a spill of the position this morning.

“There’s no doubt that the party has had a say in who they want to see moving forward in the leadership team,” Ms Lee said.

Ms Castley said it was an honour to be elected as her party’s Deputy Leader.

“I look forward to taking on this new challenge and supporting Elizabeth as we head towards the 2024 election,” Ms Castley said.

“I will hit the ground running and I am excited to work with the entire team in this new role.”

The decision was not taken lightly, Ms Lee said.

“Going into an election year, it is more important than ever to have a leadership team that is in lockstep, and I know Leanne will support me 100 per cent and the direction we are taking to win government in 2024,” Ms Lee said.

“Leanne has been an incredibly hard-working and dedicated MLA during her time in the Legislative Assembly, not only as a local member but as Shadow Minister for Health and Business.

“Leanne brings a unique set of skills and experience to the Deputy Leader role, and I have no doubt she will be a terrific asset for me and the entire Canberra Liberals team…

“[I] look forward to working closely with Leanne as the Canberra Liberals put forward a fresh alternate vision for Canberra in the lead up to the election next October.”

Ms Castley said: “I have my eyes on supporting Elizabeth, so whatever that takes – we have worked so well together over these last couple of years, and I look forward to continuing to do that. So when the opportunity presented itself, I thought: Yes, let’s have a go at this, because I do believe we need a strong team, and I’m here for that.”

The change of position follows what has been seen as a defeat of the hard right wing of the Canberra Liberals at the party’s Annual General Meeting last month. Moderate Liberals voted the party’s president, John Cziesla, out of the position. It is understood that Mr Hanson supported Mr Cziesla.

“I am disappointed to have been removed as deputy leader of the Canberra Liberals today,” Mr Hanson said. “I will continue to work hard for our community as a loyal and passionate member of the Canberra Liberals team.”

Ms Lee thanked Mr Hanson for his work over the last couple of years as Deputy Leader. He succeeded Giulia Jones in the position in February 2022.

“Mr Hanson has been a long term Canberra Liberals member, and I have no doubts that he’ll continue to work very constructively with his community and in support of the Canberra Liberals getting up in 2024,” Ms Lee said.

Ms Lee indicated the Shadow Ministries would be reshuffled in the coming days.

Ms Lee emphasised that her party was “a broad church” with a diverse range of views.

“We have all nine of our members coming from all walks of life with different life experiences, the age range, the gender range. In terms of being an elected representative, one of the most fundamental things is to be someone that the community can relate to, and knows that they and their voices and their views will be represented in the community. If you look at the entire Canberra Liberals team, that’s what we represent.”

The Canberra Liberals would continue to hold the ACT Government to account on issues of housing, health, education, community safety, and the lack of basic maintenance, Ms Lee said.

Chief Minister

Chief Minister Andrew Barr downplayed any notion that Ms Castley replacing Mr Hanson signified a move away from the right.

“Clearly the Canberra Liberals are deeply divided in their party room, and Canberrans should be weary of the deep-seated conservatism within the party,” the Chief Minister said. “The direction that Peter Dutton is taking the party at the Federal level is obviously having an impact at the local level. They are all conservatives at heart – it is just a question of degree.  Presenting Leanne Castley as a ‘moderate’ is laughable.”

Business

But small businesses welcomed Ms Castley’s elevation; they believe that, unlike the Chief Minister, she has their best interests at heart.

“Leanne Castley has been a tireless advocate for the local small business community and their staff,” Kel Watt, spokesperson of Braddon’s United Retailers & Traders (BURT), said.

“Leanne Castley has been proactive in reaching out to business owners. She has ensured she is fighting for the things that matter to each sector of the economy to grow business and employment opportunities.”

Tom Adam, president of the Phillip Business Community (PBC), described Ms Castley as a strong ally for business owners and their teams.

“While we await the reshuffle, Leanne Castley’s experience and advocacy for small businesses over the last three years means we are confident that opportunities for the private sector will remain a priority, even if the torch is handed to someone else,” Mr Adam said.

“The small business sector was hit incredibly hard in the ACT during Covid-19 restrictions and is yet to fully recover. In fact, the government’s own data shows Canberra small businesses are shutting down at a faster and worse rate than anywhere else in Australia.

“While blame for initial pandemic responses cannot be attributed fairly on any government or political party, there is no doubt the Barr Government’s recovery response has been slow and insufficient.”

“While Small Business Minister Tara Cheyne has also shown great enthusiasm for supporting our community,” Mr Watt said, “interference and indifference from Chief Minister Andrew Barr has business owners and their staff frustrated that many positive opportunities have fallen by the wayside.

“Sadly, Andrew Barr treats small business owners as a de facto Opposition, rather than as the single biggest contributor to employment in Canberra.

“Instead of being chastised at his media conferences, we should be embraced by him as the ACT’s greatest opportunity to grow the economy and jobs, to help get the ACT out of its debt crisis.”

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