The 1993 ACT Liberal Party leadership spill was held on 21 April 1993.[1][2]
During the evening of Tuesday, 20 April, Liberal MLA Tony De Domenico agreed to support Carnell over incumbent leader Trevor Kaine, ending a 3–3 stalemate that had existed within the Liberal partyroom since the July 1991 spill.[3][4] At 10:30am the following day, a spill motion was moved.[3][5] Kaine and Greg Cornwell, a strong Kaine supporter, learned of the spill only moments before it occured.[3][6][7] Kaine did not contest the spill, and Carnell was elected unopposed, becoming the ACT Liberal Party's first female leader.[3][6][8]
De Domenico was elected unopposed as deputy leader, replacing Gary Humphries.[3] Humphries, a longtime supporter of Carnell, said he was happy to assist the new leadership team "if that's what's involved".[3]
The spill came just one month after a federal Liberal Party spill, where incumbent John Hewson defeated former leader John Howard.[9] Writing in The Canberra Times, journalist Matthew Abraham wrote that "Kaine and De Domenico are fast becoming the John Howard
and Andrew Peacock of the ACT Liberals", Howard and Peacock having infamously fought for the federal Liberal leadership throughout the 1980s.[5][10]
The 2012 Canberra Liberals leadership election was held on 29 October 2012.
Following the 2012 ACT election, neither the Liberals nor the Labor Party had won the sufficient number of seats to form government in their own right, meaning they required the support of Shane Rattenbury, the sole Greens MLA.[11]
While negotiations were taking place, Zed Seselja was re-elected unopposed as Liberal leader and Brendan Smyth was re-elected as deputy leader.[12]
The Liberals would ultimately remain in opposition after Rattenbury chose to support Labor on 2 November.[13][14]
The 2020 Canberra Liberals leadership election was held on 27 October 2020.
Following the Liberal Party's sixth consecutive loss at the 2020 ACT election, Alistair Coe stepped down as leader.[24] Coe did not immediately confirm whether he would seek to retain the leadership, but ultimately chose not to.[24][25]
Giulia Jones won the deputy leadership unopposed after Nicole Lawder stepped down.[26][32] This created the first all-female political leadership team in the ACT.[33][34]
The 2022 Canberra Liberals deputy leadership election was held on 1 February 2022.
On 31 February 2022, Giulia Jones announced her resignation as deputy leader.[34] Jones cited the personal toll of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with a desire to spend more time with her family.[36][37]
One day after Jones resigned, former Liberal leader Jeremy Hanson was elected unopposed as the new deputy leader.[38][39]
Hanson contested the spill, although the Liberal Party did not release the caucus vote numbers.[46]
Following the spill, Hanson said he was "disappointed" but would "continue to work hard for our community as a loyal and passionate member of the Canberra Liberals team".[47] A shadow cabinet reshuffle three days later on 7 December saw Hanson moved to the backbench.[48]
The 2024 Canberra Liberals leadership election will be held sometime in 2024.
Following the Liberal Party's seventh consecutive loss at the 2024 ACT election, former Liberal leader Jeremy Hanson announced his candidacy on 21 October.[49]Elizabeth Lee is expected to also recontest.[50]
^Giannini, Dominic; Shteyman, Jacob (21 October 2024). "Fight over Libs leadership after record election loss". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 21 October 2024. A member of the conservative faction of the Liberal Party, Mr Hanson campaigned against the 2023 referendum for an Indigenous voice to parliament.