The Liberal Party Room has elected Sussan Ley to lead it following a wipeout at the federal election. Sussan, who was the party’s deputy leader under Peter Dutton, is the first woman to ever hold the top job in the party’s 80-year history.
Sussan, 63, beat Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor as the greatly-diminished Liberal party enters the next parliamentary term.
When she announced her intention to run for the leadership position, she said the Liberal Party needs to listen to the Australian people and meet them where they are.
“We need to understand their aspirations,” said Sussan Ley, (pronounced “Lee”).
“We need to build a new economic narrative.
“Many Australians, including women and younger Australians, feel neglected by the Liberal Party. We must rebuild trust with all sections of Australian society and my election as Leader of the Liberal Party would send a very strong signal that we understand things need to be done differently.”
Who is Sussan Ley?
Elected as the Member for the NSW seat of Farrer in 2001, Sussan Ley is the longest-serving female Liberal in federal parliament. She is currently the Shadow Minister for Women, the Shadow Minister for Industry, Skills and Training, and Small and Family Business.
The mother-of-three was born in Nigeria to British parents and spent her early years in the United Arab Emirates. She moved to Australia when she was 13. Sussan has a commercial pilot’s license and worked as an air traffic controller at Sydney and Melbourne airports. She has also worked on the land as a shed hand and shearer’s cook.
Sussan started university when her first child turned one, embarking upon 10 years of part-time study to earn three finance degrees. She worked as a wool and beef farmer from 1988 to 2001, and held a position at the ATO before being elected to Federal Parliament in 2001.
What has Sussan Ley said about becoming the party leader?
On May 9, Sussan Ley announced she would run to stand in the Liberal Party leadership ballot, saying it was “clear” the party got it wrong.
“Australia expects a change in direction and a fresh approach from the Liberal Party,” she said in her statement. “The Liberal Party needs to listen to the Australian people and meet them where they are … We need new policy offerings that show Australians we can help them and their families get ahead.”
Who has publicly backed Sussan to be the next leader of the Liberal Party?
Sussan Ley has been publicly endorsed by high-profile former Liberal premiers. Ex-Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett, and former NSW leaders Barry O’Farrell and Nick Greiner backed her.
What is Sussan Ley’s record?
Sussan has been the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party since 2022. Furthermore, over the course of her long tenure in Parliament, she has held many senior portfolios. These include serving as minister for health, education, regional development, and the environment, among others.
What else do I need to know about Sussan Ley?
Sussan Ley was born “Susan” but changed her name to “Sussan” because of numerology.
In 2015, she told The Australian newspaper, “I read about this numerology theory that if you add the numbers that match the letters in your name, you can change your personality. I worked out that if you added an ‘s’, I would have an incredibly exciting, interesting life and nothing would ever be boring.”
