Angus Taylor says federal Liberals must 'do better' as he joins Ashton Hurn in Adelaide



Wed 25 Feb 2026
ABC News
Liberal leader Angus Taylor responded to criticism of the federal party from state counterpart Ashton Hurn. (ABC News)

In short:
Opposition leader Angus Taylor says the federal Liberals need to "restore Australia's confidence" in the party.

He responded to criticisms made by SA Liberal leader Ashton Hurn as he joined her on the campaign trail in Adelaide.

Ms Hurn says she is not seeking an apology.


Opposition leader Angus Taylor has admitted the federal Liberal Party has to "do better", responding to criticism from South Australian leader Ashton Hurn, whom he joined on the state campaign trail in Adelaide on Wednesday.

Less than a fortnight ago, when Mr Taylor became leader, Ms Hurn said the federal party's "self-obsession" — which has included two Coalition break-ups and make-ups, as well as a change in leader — had been "nothing but a distraction for them" and "hugely disappointing".

Pressed on the comments today, Mr Taylor did not offer an apology to Ms Hurn, but went some way to acknowledging the instability in Canberra had not helped the South Australian election campaign.

"We have to do better, there's no doubt about that," Mr Taylor told reporters in Adelaide.

"I'm acutely conscious of that.

"We need to restore Australia's confidence in the Liberal Party."
Angus Taylor is standing in a factory in a bright yellow high visibility vest surrounded by others wearing similar vests
Mr Taylor was in Adelaide ahead of the March 21 state election. (ABC News)

It was Mr Taylor's first visit to South Australia since being installed as the new leader earlier this month.

While Ms Hurn largely avoided wading back into her previous comments, she said she was not seeking an apology.

"I'm not looking backwards too much, I'm looking forward," she said.

"I'm not going down this spiral of becoming a commentator."

Taylor has 'no problem' with Antic, Bernardi beer
Speaking to ABC Radio Adelaide earlier on Wednesday, Mr Taylor acknowledged the party was under threat both locally and nationally and needed to better prosecute its case.

A recent Fox and Hedgehog poll showed the Liberals in South Australia faced a "wipeout", with the party's primary vote at just 19 per cent.   


We want to know what issues matter most to you and what you want us to find out ahead of the March 21, SA election.

"There's no question we are in a tough position in South Australia and around Australia, I've made no bones about that, when I came into the role, that we were in the worst position we've been since we were formed in 1944," he said.

At the same time, opinion polls have showed One Nation is gaining popularity, and in SA, former Liberal senator Cory Bernardi is now running as the right-wing party's lead candidate ahead of the March 21 poll.

Mr Bernardi was spotted this week having a drink at a popular Adelaide pub with conservative Liberal powerbroker Alex Antic.

Like Mr Bernardi and Ms Hurn had already done, Mr Taylor brushed off the catch-up.

"I've got no problem with that," he said.

While no preference deal has been arranged, One Nation and the Liberals are continuing to discuss a possible agreement.

whiteknight wrote on Feb 27^th, 2026 at 4:20pm:



Yeah - like stand for something better than Labor, Teals, Greens.