Jessica Page: Libby Mettam crucified the moment she urged Basil Zempilas to join the Liberal ranks

Disunity is death. It has been proven time and again in politics. And once the rot starts, it is hard to stop. Libby Mettam was crucified the moment she urged Basil Zempilas to join the Liberal ranks, but she did so anyway. Because he looked and sounded the part, while she was always the underdog. Mettam was between a rock and a hard place, taking over two years after the election wipeout that left the party with just two lower house MPs. She was the party-room’s only option when David Honey could not cut through but — because they picked him first — it meant she was branded their last choice. It fueled the narrative that, yet again, a political party was only turning to a woman in its hour of need. You can smash the glass ceiling, but it often leaves you bloodied and bruised. She was asked to clean up the mess, but some of them always doubted her and it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Mettam has improved the party’s position, but nowhere near enough to stop the rot. For the sake of the party, Parliament and voters, it must stop now. Labor was laughing all the way to the polling booths from the moment Zempilas’ supporters launched a clumsy coup last November, using a rogue opinion poll that suggested he could win more seats as leader. The same poll also claimed 25 per cent of female voters and 43 per cent of under-35’s would be less likely to vote Liberal with Zempilas as leader. Labor’s ads put L-plates on the Liberal Party during the campaign. It was effective. The new team needs to learn fast. Zempilas is no messiah but, as in Monty Python’s Life of Brian, there are those who believe he is a born leader. His work rate is undeniable. He certainly attracts attention and the Liberals need someone who can handle the spotlight. He’s got the showmanship but needs to prove whether he has the substance. He needs a team that will step up, too. A week is a long time in politics; it feels even longer from opposition and four years until 2029 will test their resolve. Brian, the “very naughty boy”, was abandoned by everyone in the end. But Mettam has pledged loyalty to the new leader, knowing who it will be. Ironically, they each performed better when they were together on the campaign trail. The final song from Monty Python includes a line that the new Liberals must embrace to prove they’re not the same as the old guard. What have you got to lose? And, look on the bright side. The only way is up.