Why MP Tony Pasin backed Angus Taylor in a leadership spill
The Murraylands’ federal MP has been given extra responsibility under the new Liberal leader.
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Federal MP Tony Pasin will get extra responsibilities in parliament after backing new Liberal Party leader Angus Taylor in a party room vote last week.
Mr Pasin will be the federal opposition’s spokesman for “scrutiny of government waste and accountability”, and will also assist in the fisheries and forestry portfolio.
He would be humbled to serve, he said in a statement.
“This portfolio has a clear purpose,” he said.
“It is about scrutiny across every area of government, ensuring transparency, challenging wasteful spending and restoring discipline to public administration.”
“At a time when Australians are experiencing an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, and Australians are being forced to tighten their belts, there is no reason why (the) government is not doing the same.”
Mr Pasin confirmed he had supported Mr Taylor’s challenge against former Liberal leader Sussan Ley last week, in the face of opinion polls which had suggested that the party was losing public support.
“Standing still was not an option,” Mr Pasin said.
“A change was necessary to arrest that decline and reset our direction.
“This was not about personalities; it was about positioning our party to reconnect with Australians who feel under pressure and uncertain about the future.”
He described Mr Taylor as “a principled conviction politician” with Liberal values at heart.
