Sussan Ley
Sussan Ley | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.jpg) Official portrait, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader of the Opposition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 13 May 2025 – 13 February 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Anthony Albanese | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Ted O'Brien | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Peter Dutton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Angus Taylor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16th Leader of the Liberal Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office Acting: 3–13 May 2025 13 May 2025 – 13 February 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Ted O'Brien | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Peter Dutton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Angus Taylor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy Leader of the Opposition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 30 May 2022 – 13 May 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader | Peter Dutton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Richard Marles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Ted O'Brien | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 30 May 2022 – 13 May 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader | Peter Dutton Herself (acting) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Josh Frydenberg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Ted O'Brien | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Member of the Australian Parliament for Farrer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 10 November 2001 – 27 February 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Tim Fischer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Susan Penelope Braybrooks 14 December 1961 Kano, then part of the Federation of Nigeria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Australian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Liberal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations | Liberal–National Coalition | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse(s) |
John Ley
(m. 1987; div. 2004) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residence | Albury, New South Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | La Trobe University University of New South Wales Charles Sturt University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Aircraft pilot, taxation officer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | sussanley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sussan Penelope Ley (pron. LEE; née Susan Braybrooks; born 14 December 1961) is an Australian retired politician who was the Leader of the Liberal Party and Leader of the Opposition from 2025 until 2026. She was the first woman to hold both roles.[1]
Ley is a member of the Liberal Party. She was a member of parliament (MP) for the New South Wales seat of Farrer from 2001 until 2026. In 2022, she was elected Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party and became Deputy Opposition Leader. She was a cabinet minister in the Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments.
Ley was removed as the Liberal Party leader because of her growing unpopularity and was replaced by Angus Taylor in February 2026. She also resigned from parliament shortly after losing the party leadership.
Early life
Ley was born in Kano, Nigeria to English parents. She grew up in the United Arab Emirates and England before moving to Australia as a teenager.
Political career
She was the Minister for Education (2013–2014), Minister for Health (2014–2016), Sport (2014–2017), Aged Care (2015–2016), and Health and Aged Care (2016–2017). She resigned from the ministry in January 2017.
She was the Minister for the Environment before the Morrison government's defeat at the 2022 federal election.[2]
Leader of the Opposition (2025–2026)
Ley became acting leader of the Liberal Party after the 2025 federal election in which party leader Peter Dutton lost re-election for his seat of Dickson.[3]
Ley was elected as the party and Coalition's new leader, and therefore as the new Leader of the Opposition, when she defeated conservative opponent Angus Taylor by 29 votes to 25 in the subsequent leadership election.[4] Ley made history as the first woman elected to lead the Liberals, the Coalition or serve as Leader of the Opposition.[1] Ley is also the oldest first-time Leader of the Opposition since Arthur Calwell became opposition leader in 1960.[5]
On 11 February 2026, Angus Taylor resigned from her shadow ministry, because of the party's growing unpopularity under Ley's leadership.[6] In response to the criticism and Taylor’s resignation, Ley called a leadership spill after Jessica Collins and Phillip Thompson launched a spill motion. The leadership spill was held on 13 February, resulting in Taylor beating Ley by a margin of 34 votes to 17 in the spill ballot, ending her tenure as the leader of the Liberal Party.[7] Lasting 276 days, her leadership was the second shortest in the party's history.[8]
References
- 1 2 Truu, Maani (13 May 2025). "Sussan Ley becomes first woman to lead Liberal Party". ABC News. Retrieved 2025-05-13.
- ↑ Norman, Jane (24 May 2022). "Peter Dutton remains only candidate for Liberal leader, Sussan Ley and Jane Hume frontrunners for deputy". ABC News. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ↑ "Live: Albanese gets warm welcome in electorate as Coalition confronts worst-ever result". ABC News. 2025-05-03. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ↑ "Price defection slammed as Taylor and Ley confirm plans to run". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
- ↑ Cassidy, Caitlin; Kelly, Cait (2025-05-13). "Australia news live: Sussan Ley claims PM's approach to Jewish Australians 'one of the biggest threats to social cohesion'". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-05-13.
- ↑ Massola, Paul Sakkal, James (2026-02-11). "Angus Taylor resigns from Liberal frontbench to set up leadership challenge". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ "Breaking: Angus Taylor has been elected Liberal leader 34 votes to 17". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2026-02-13. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
- ↑ Briggs, Casey (13 February 2026). "Ley leaves Taylor an immediate electoral test with Farrer by-election". ABC News. Retrieved 13 February 2026.