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It was the photo that told us everything. Three women striding into the parliament like they were “Charlie’s Angels”. Confident, smug, posing for the cameras. The media class gushed. Sussan Ley proudly posted it to her social media channels.

On X (formerly Twitter), the post was ratio’ed, which is internet-speak for when the backlash drowns out the likes. It means more people tore it to pieces than praised it. In short, the base wasn’t buying the performance.

Here’s a taste of the feedback on the “Charlie’s Angels” photo from both X and Facebook:

“This says nothing. We need more than a nod to Charlie’s Angels and low-key girl power vibes.”

“We don’t want a female version of Albanese.”

“Time to shut down the Liberal Party. Merge with the Teals and call it the Miserable HR Girlboss Party… powered by feelings, funded by taxpayers.”

“The Liberal Party destroying itself in 4K.”

“Look more like the Teals than an opposition.”

“It will be like Labor questioning Labor.”

“Give us a break — the Three Stooges.”

“Best you all go back inside.”

Charlie’s Angels Fails to Impress

These weren’t left-wing trolls. These were rusted-on conservative voters. Perhaps some of them were once long-time Liberal Party supporters. People who used to hand out how-to-votes for the party, now wondering what the hell they’re looking at.

Basically, the base had seen the “Charlie’s Angels” photo, and they threw up in their mouths.

The message? Crystal clear: you don’t win back the nation by copying Labor’s PR tactics in a pink pantsuit.

it’s all so tiresome @SenatorAntic pic.twitter.com/FTMqWEXWdZ

— Australians vs. The Agenda (@ausvstheagenda) July 25, 2025

The so-called “Charlie’s Angels” moment wasn’t just a cringeworthy PR stunt. It was a flashing red signal that the Liberal Party, once the party of Menzies, Howard, and conviction, is now being steered by handlers, strategists, and diversity consultants more concerned with appearances than with anchoring the country.

It was tone-deaf. It was shallow. And worst of all, it revealed just how little the current leadership understands the very people they’re supposed to represent.

Let me ask you: how many voters in the suburbs or the bush saw that photo and thought, finally, a team that gets me? Not one.

Because here’s the unvarnished truth: Sussan Ley does not connect with the conservative base. Not on values, not on instinct, not even on performance.

We saw this in her debut at the National Press Club, where she opened by signalling to “modern Australia,” rehashing her personal life story, and parroting Labor-lite lines about “reflecting diversity” and boosting female quotas. Not one word about defending faith. Not one line about protecting free speech. Not even a mention of the family as the cornerstone of society.

Instead, we got a soft-focus memoir. Not a call to arms. Not a blueprint for rebuilding. Just a meandering, progressive-safe, focus-grouped monologue designed to avoid offence and, in doing so, it failed to inspire anyone.

But worse was yet to come.

Ley Doesn’t Land a Blow on PM

In her very first question to the Prime Minister yesterday, the most critical opportunity to show strength, she fluffed it. A half-baked attack on Labor’s housing failures was lobbed weakly across the chamber. And Anthony Albanese swatted it back like a tennis ball, quoting Queensland’s Liberal National Party Housing Minister, citing industry bodies, and ridiculing the Coalition’s record without even breaking a sweat.

She couldn’t land a punch. Not even close.

Then came her speech for the Matter of Public Importance debate (which a glorified high school debate that, quite frankly, serves no place in the parliament). That speech was full of kitchen table metaphors, broken promises, and mum-speak that sounded more like a lifestyle segment than a battle cry.

It was the speech version of the “Charlie’s Angels” photo — political theatre for people who read The Guardian and think saying “modern Australia” ten times will magically solve structural decay.

Today, Ley’s question to Albanese on AUKUS and the fact that he hasn’t met with President Donald Trump was a little bit better, but failed to land even a scratch on the Prime Minister. He merely embraced AUKUS, and cited three conversations with Trump.

Talk about a wet lettuce leaf political attack.

And don’t think people inside the party haven’t noticed. The mood is clear. The best you’ll hear from Liberal politicians is “we’re giving her time to see how she goes.”

That’s the diplomatic version of we’ve got no one else ready right now, and we’re hoping she doesn’t fall over anytime soon.

But it is clear there is less than low ebb energy from the Coalition in the parliament right now. It’s more of a flat, shell-shocked vibe.

In fact, that vibe was so obvious that Sussan Ley actually asked her backbench to show more energy. Let that sink in. A leader asking her team to fake enthusiasm. Not lead them. Not inspire them. Just pretend.

Labor, Which Has No Need of Charlie’s Angels, is Coasting on Confidence

Meanwhile, across the aisle, Labor looks more comfortable than ever. Arrogant, yes. But confident. Because they know they’re not up against a lion. They’re up against the leader of a hollowed-out Opposition too scared to stand for something, and too lost to know what that something even is.

While it seems many Liberal politicians are willing to wait and see how Ley performs, it is already clear that her leadership is not sustainable. You can’t rebuild a party on platitudes, Instagram photos, and rebranded mediocrity. And you can’t inspire a movement with a leader no one’s genuinely excited about.

The Coalition has just over two years. That’s it. Two years to reconnect with the base, reclaim its courage, and stop this descent into small-target nothingness.

Because if this continues, they won’t just lose. They will be decimated.

So too will the country.

And no “Charlie’s Angels” photo shoot is going to save us.

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Republished with thanks to Nation First. Image of “Charlie’s Angels” via X/Sussan Ley.