The Australian Liberal Party is in freefall, consuming itself in a leadership spill that has handed the Labor government a political gift they are unwrapping with gleeful precision on the floor of Parliament.

As Friday morning's leadership showdown looms, the atmosphere in Canberra is toxic. Angus Taylor, having resigned from the frontbench, has officially launched his challenge against Opposition Leader Sussan Ley. The move has fractured the coalition, with resignations piling up and loyalty lines being drawn in the sand. But while the Liberals sharpen their knives for each other, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his frontbench are using Question Time to systematically dismantle what remains of the Opposition's credibility.

"Blowing Up Their Own Home"

In a masterclass of parliamentary theatre, Albanese quipped, "While we're building more homes for Australians, those opposite are busy tearing down their own home." It was a line rehearsed in the mirror but delivered with devastating effect. The image of a government focused on housing while the opposition engages in a fratricidal power struggle is a potent narrative that Labor is driving home.

Pat Conroy piled on the misery, mocking Taylor's past portfolios with biting sarcasm: "He was a stealth shadow minister... now he's blowing up the Liberal party." The strategy is clear: paint the Liberals as a chaotic rabble unfit to govern, regardless of who emerges as leader on Friday.

• The Challenger: Angus Taylor, promising to "restore" the party.
• The Incumbent: Sussan Ley, fighting to survive a coup initiated by her own whips.
• The Stakes: The future direction of the Liberal Party and its viability as an alternative government.

The Numbers Game

Behind the public attacks, the frantic counting of votes continues. Taylor's camp is pushing for an immediate resolution, sensing momentum. Ley's supporters are trying to buy time, hoping the fever will break. But the damage is already done. The public sees a party obsessed with itself rather than the cost of living or national security.

A Party Adrift

Senator James McGrath’s resignation statement summed up the mood: "The Coalition currently lacks the policy clarity... required to rebuild trust." It is a damning admission from within. Whether Taylor wins or Ley survives, the victor will inherit the ashes of a unified party. The Labor government doesn't need to win the next election; at this rate, the Liberals are handing it to them.

"They can't stand each other," Albanese jeered. "But they all stand for cutting Medicare."