Mark Parton Pledges to Unite Canberra Liberals Amid Turmoil
Former radio presenter and moderate Liberal, Mark Parton, has been unanimously elected as the new opposition leader for the Canberra Liberals, promising to unite the party after recent internal conflicts.
Leadership Change and Party Challenges
Mr. Parton stepped down as Legislative Assembly Speaker following the resignation of Leanne Castley as opposition leader and Jeremy Hanson as deputy leader. These resignations occurred less than two weeks after Castley suspended two members of the party room.
Commitment to Unity and Forward Momentum
"I've been placed in this position as a unifier, and unify is what I will do," Mr. Parton declared.
He emphasized his focus on moving beyond internal disputes, stating:
"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."
Mr. Parton expressed a vision of collective progress with his parliamentary team:
"I am here, along with Deborah Morris, to get nine parliamentary members on the same train heading forward so that we can take on the government in 2028."
He described his election as an honor:
"It is an absolute honour and a privilege to have been elected by my colleagues to lead the party."
Focus on Moving Forward Rather Than Past Divisions
Mr. Parton chose not to comment on the specific events that led to the leadership changes, instead highlighting past divisions in the party.
"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."
He intends to overcome these divisions to strengthen the party’s future.
Author’s summary: Mark Parton, the new Canberra Liberals leader, vows to heal party divisions and focus on unified efforts to challenge the government in 2028.