<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A "ticking time bomb" could be awaiting </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/liberal-party-leadership-spill-angus-taylor-defeats-sussan-ley/e02a6189-6fb5-4262-af53-7c5acea1c826" rel="" target="_blank" title="new Liberal leader Angus Taylor"><span>new Liberal leader Angus Taylor</span></a><span> as the opposition braces for a potentially scathing review into its 2025 federal election defeat.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/angus-taylor-social-media-facebook-post-old-blunder-coming-back-to-haunt-him/bea9a512-565f-4205-a093-49b2dd742536" rel="" target="_blank" title="Taylor"><span>Taylor</span></a><span> has been decided as the new Liberal leader following a successful leadership spill, leading the vote 34-17 against Sussan Ley – but the former shadow treasurer may have to deal with some skeletons in the closet during the first months in the top job.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nine's political editor Charles Croucher said one of the hurdles facing Taylor is a delayed review into the Liberal Party's election campaign last year, which has not yet been publicly released, reportedly due to concerns from former opposition leader Peter Dutton that it is defamatory.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/liberal-leadership-spill-angus-taylor-sussan-ley-to-fight-for-opposition-leader-title/91f3b270-02bb-45d7-bd3e-c2d15d54b558" rel="" target="_blank" title="Angus Taylor successfully challenges Sussan Ley for Liberal leadership"><strong><span>Angus Taylor successfully challenges Sussan Ley for Liberal leadership</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/rba-february-2026-interest-rates-decision-what-this-means-mortgage-explained/2e9fa2e7-e7a6-4909-a7aa-4fdb9c626e5c" target="_blank"><strong><span>The RBA has hiked interest rates. So what does that mean for your mortgage?</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"One of the big challenges going to be there is a review into the election from last year that is being held up in legal challenges," Croucher said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That sits there like a ticking time bomb for Angus Taylor, as I suspect there will be some things in that review that won't read well for him as the new leader."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/liberal-party-leadership-spill-what-lies-ahead-for-angus-taylor-after-successful-challenge-charles-croucher/f65881f4-c845-491f-b314-8df9987f9ad6" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Taylor was the shadow treasurer during the last term, including when the opposition went to the election opposing the government's small "top-up" income tax cuts.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Croucher said the pending review could cast a shadow over his new leadership.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That's going to sit there and linger for him," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There is lots lying ahead for Angus Taylor. He's done what might be the easy bit in winning."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The scale of the challenge faced by Taylor is not lessened by his easy win, he added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/pauline-hanson-policies-stance-on-immigration-housing-voting-record-explained/1a21d57d-cddd-4ba5-b1ce-0b564e205b79" target="_blank"><strong><span>One Nation's popularity is surging. But what does Pauline Hanson's party actually stand for?</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He will need to act fast to unify the Liberal Party, appoint a new shadow front bench, develop a new policy platform, and manage the fallout from Ley's post-vote decision.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Any plans for a nice, quiet weekend for Angus Taylor just went out the door," Croucher said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He also warned that a lot of "young and fresh" MPs and senators just got their first taste of knifing a leader.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Should Taylor not perform – and quickly – the shadow cabinet might make a habit of ousting new leaders.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There is nothing that says they will not do it again."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank" title=""><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>