New Leader Vows Unity for Canberra Liberals
Mark Parton, a former radio presenter and moderate Liberal, has been unanimously elected as the new opposition leader for the Canberra Liberals. He pledged to unify the party after a period of internal turmoil.
Leadership Changes Amid Party Turmoil
The leadership shift came after Leanne Castley resigned as opposition leader and Jeremy Hanson stepped down as deputy leader. This followed Castley's suspension of two party members less than two weeks earlier.
"I've been placed in this position as a unifier, and unify is what I will do," Mr Parton said.
Focus on Moving Forward
Mark Parton expressed frustration with ongoing internal conflicts and emphasized the importance of unity to win back public support for the 2028 government 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 outlined his goal to align the nine parliamentary members to work together effectively.
"It is an absolute honour and a privilege to have been elected by my colleagues to lead the party."
Parton declined to comment on the events that prompted the leadership change, focusing instead on healing divisions within the party. He acknowledged past divisions often mirrored ideological left-right splits common in politics.
"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."
Summary
Mark Parton aims to heal divisions within the Canberra Liberals by fostering unity and focusing on electoral success in 2028.
Would you like the summary to be more formal or conversational?