Moderate Liberals 'rock solid' behind Sussan Ley amid leadership whispers

Moderate Liberals have little appetite to knife the first woman to lead the party less than a year on from her appointment, according to Liberal sources, while conservatives concede they are in a "holding pattern" until Andrew Hastie and Angus Taylor decide whether to make a move.

There appears to be no move among moderates to topple Sussan Ley following the Coalition's dramatic break-up instigated by the Nationals, after they opposed the formal shadow cabinet position on a bill to strengthen hate speech laws.

"There's no move from moderates. They are rock solid," one MP said, who suggested it would be "humiliating" to change the leader over a disagreement about cabinet process.

Another MP said "most in the centre are maintaining their support of Sussan Ley until they know more".

After days of intensifying chatter, Liberal sources have told the ABC they are now effectively in a holding pattern until the two most likely leadership contenders, Mr Hastie and Mr Taylor, decide their next move.

At a citizenship ceremony south of Perth today, Mr Hastie remained tight-lipped, telling reporters, "I'm not going to make any comments about that" when asked about the leadership speculation.

Mr Taylor also refused to rule out a tilt at the top job, saying instead the Liberal Party needed to show Australians that it was united.

"The Liberal Party has got a lot of work to do," Mr Taylor told The Australian.

"What's required is us showing to Australians that we are united and that we have a clear sense of purpose.

"As a member of shadow cabinet, I've got a lot of obligations and I will always honour those obligations … but I hear today, and I hear from colleagues, we have to do better."

The two conservatives are being urged to negotiate and decide which of them will nominate for the leadership, though neither has indicated a willingness to back down.

"Most on the right are keeping their options open to see where it lands," a Liberal source said in reference to negotiations between the pair.

Mr Taylor, who is back in Australia after a family holiday in Europe, is being promoted as a "unifying" figure by his supporters while Mr Hastie's camp is talking up the need for generational change.

But without at least several moderates willing to fall in behind either leadership aspirant, a spill would likely lead to another divided result that would hinder the party from moving on.

And a senior Liberal says the case has still not been made why replacing Ms Ley with either would improve the party's standing right now.

Additionally, neither Mr Hastie or Mr Taylor has reportedly come to a position on whether the Liberals should push to reunify with the Nationals — and there are mixed views in the party room over whether to repair the Coalition or spend some time alone.

"Half the party room feels liberated," one MP said.

In a sign that a move is not afoot, two Liberals confirmed there had been no conversation between Ms Ley and either Mr Hastie or Mr Taylor.

Ms Ley is remaining defiant, dismissing the "frenzy of speculation in the media".

When asked if her leadership was over, she responded "absolutely not".

"I know there's some frenzy of speculation in the media. I've been elected by my party room to lead. I'm doing that, I have the confidence of my team," she said today.

"I spoke a couple of days ago about the regrettable circumstances of the National Party deciding to leave the Coalition, and I said the door was open."

'Rule it out or spill this week'

While most MPs openly acknowledge that circumstances could change quickly, there did not appear to be a clear pathway for either Mr Hastie or Mr Taylor to comprehensively defeat Ms Ley in a challenge.

"It would be very hard to dynamite her out right now," a senior Liberal said.

Ms Ley narrowly won the Liberal leadership in May in a 29-25 vote against the rival candidate, Mr Taylor.

Multiple Liberal sources say that any challenger would want an overwhelming victory to soothe the deeply divided centre-right party.

A senior Liberal added that the party would get no clear air while leadership speculation swirled, and Mr Hastie and Mr Taylor needed to make their intentions clear this week.

"They have to declare [their intentions] for the sake of the party," said one Liberal source.

Deputy Liberal leader Ted O'Brien told ABC Radio National Breakfast this morning he didn't think a challenge would be mounted against the opposition leader.

"I think what we've seen is Sussan Ley displaying an enormous amount of dignity and strength over recent times, and that is recognised by my colleagues, and so I don't believe there will be a challenge," Mr O'Brien said.

Asked on Friday whether she would still be leader in a month, Ms Ley asserted she would remain in the job, despite whispers of Mr Taylor and Mr Hastie canvassing support for a leadership challenge.

The Coalition's position in successive polls remains dismal, and the Nationals, in particular, fear an ascendant One Nation could take seats from the country party if polling results were replicated at the next federal election.

But few Liberals are laying the blame for last week's implosion at Ms Ley's feet.

Moderates say she has also not been given a fair chance since taking on the mantle of leader, and has hardly misstepped in navigating difficult negotiations with the party's conservative flank.

Libs warned rolling Ley would reward Nats

If Mr Taylor or Mr Hastie were to challenge, the earliest date available to them would be the first week of February when parliament returns — unless a special party room was called sooner.

But the victor would inherit a party at its lowest ebb in decades, separated from its junior Coalition partner, the Nationals, and still fuming at the country party for perceived meddling in Liberal affairs.

While momentum for a leadership challenge has grown, Liberals are also being warned that any immediate move against Ms Ley could be seen to be rewarding the Nationals.

"We'll be damned if we allow [Nationals leader] David Littleproud to dictate our leadership," a Liberal source said, reflecting a widely held view within the party.

After a messy divorce last week, some Liberals and Nationals say they are in no hurry to reunite the party, arguing both need time apart to reset their foundations.

One senior National told the ABC the parties had been too quick to rejoin after the brief, week-long split in May last year.

The MP said a "shotgun wedding" after the break-up, before the parties had solved deeper disagreements, had created the environment for last week's split to happen.

"I would hate to rush back together because it looks good for the kids," the Nationals MP said.