Sussan Ley

The Honourable

Sussan Ley

MP
The Honourable; Sussan Ley; MP
	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
Prime Minister
Ministerial offices 2013–⁠2022
Minister for the Environment
	In office; 29 May 2019 – 23 May 2022
Prime Minister	Scott Morrison
Preceded by	Melissa Price
Succeeded by	Tanya Plibersek
Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories
	In office; 26 August 2018 – 26 May 2019
Prime Minister	Scott Morrison
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Nola Marino
Minister for Health
	In office; 23 December 2014 – 13 January 2017
Prime Minister	Tony Abbott; Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by	Peter Dutton
Succeeded by	Greg Hunt
Minister for Sport
	In office; 23 December 2014 – 13 January 2017
Prime Minister	Tony Abbott; Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by	Peter Dutton
Succeeded by	Greg Hunt
Minister for Aged Care
	In office; 30 September 2015 – 13 January 2017
Prime Minister	Malcolm Turnbull
Preceded by	Christian Porter
Succeeded by	Ken Wyatt ; (as Assistant Minister for Health and Minister for Indigenous Health and Aged Care)
Assistant Minister for Education
	In office; 18 September 2013 – 23 December 2014
Prime Minister	Tony Abbott
Preceded by	Kate Ellis
Succeeded by	Simon Birmingham
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 (age 64); 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.com

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.

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.

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.

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. Ley made history as the first woman elected to lead the Liberals, the Coalition or serve as Leader of the Opposition. Ley is also the oldest first-time Leader of the Opposition since Arthur Calwell became opposition leader in 1960.

On 11 February 2026, Angus Taylor resigned from her shadow ministry, because of the party's growing unpopularity under Ley's leadership. 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. Lasting 276 days, her leadership was the second shortest in the party's history.

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.

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[:1-1] 1 2 Truu, Maani (13 May 2025). "Sussan Ley becomes first woman to lead Liberal Party". ABC News. Retrieved 2025-05-13.

[norman-2] 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.

[3] "Live: Albanese gets warm welcome in electorate as Coalition confronts worst-ever result". ABC News. 2025-05-03. Retrieved 2025-05-04.

[4] "Price defection slammed as Taylor and Ley confirm plans to run". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2025.

[:0-5] 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.

[6] 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)

[7] "Breaking: Angus Taylor has been elected Liberal leader 34 votes to 17". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2026-02-13. Retrieved 2026-02-13.

[8] Briggs, Casey (13 February 2026). "Ley leaves Taylor an immediate electoral test with Farrer by-election". ABC News. Retrieved 13 February 2026.