Former Opposition leader Sussan Ley quits Federal politics, resigns from seat of Farrer

Sussan Ley delivered a parting shot at Angus Taylor after formally quitting Parliament on Friday.

Her bitter resignation statement pointedly noted the party had stolen her homework on a suite of policies she developed during her nine months as leader — despite her policy agenda being a key criticism levelled against her and cited as a reason for her downfall.

“It will be for commentators and historians to measure the period of my leadership, but I am proud that we were instrumental in establishing a Commonwealth Royal Commission into anti-Semitism and that we set clear directions on several key policy areas in tax, industrial relations, energy, national security and families,” she said.

“I welcome the Coalition’s immediate readoption of many of these directions and policies in recent days and weeks.”

Her departure will trigger a Farrer by-election which is expected to challenge her successor Angus Taylor in an anticipated three-way conservative race.

In her lengthy statement, released two weeks after she was deposed as party leader by Mr Taylor, Ms Ley said she would not return to parliament for a valedictory speech.

She piled pressure on Mr Taylor to perform in the Farrer by-election, highlighting the Liberal Party’s long-standing dominance in the regional NSW seat, which includes winning 60 elections since its creation in 1949.

“The election of a Liberal Member in the Farrer by-election is vital for the betterment and ongoing strength of our region, and I know that Angus Taylor can and will ensure the Party continues to enjoy the support, trust and confidence of the people of Farrer,” she said.

“Australia is best served by Coalition governments, and I particularly wish every one of my now former colleagues well as they work diligently and determinedly to win government.”

The Farrer by-election is expected to be a test for Mr Taylor as its shaping up to be a three-way conservative race — with the Nationals expected to make a tilt for the seat, once held by the former Nationals leader Tim Fischer, and One Nation keen to contest for it.

Following a surge in support across recent public opinion polls One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has claimed she has dozens of people lining up to be a candidate.

Already, verbal sparring has erupted between the Nationals and One Nation, with outspoken Coalition senator Matt Canavan using Ms Hanson’s recent controversial comments about Muslims to discredit the minor party.

The Senator Canavan had pounced labelling the One Nation leader’s question during an on-air TV interview about whether “good Muslims” exist as an “ill-disciplined” remark.

It marked his sharpest attack so far on Senator Hanson after previously warning that One Nation’s growing support was a threat in the wake of Barnaby Joyce’s deflection to the party.

It comes as the minor party has elevated in its polled support to double digits for the first time, with their potential to destabilise the conservative base sparking panic in the Coalition and which, in part, prompted them to oust Ms Ley.

John Curtin Institute of Public Policy Professor John Phillimore anticipated there would be further friction between the parties ahead of the Farrer poll.

“It’s first time that we’ve actually seen the Nationals get into One Nation on policy grounds and this is something that I think will probably happen to One Nation a bit more. They’ll actually get into the details of their policies, which is pretty scant,” he said.

“There’s going to be a fair bit of what they call ‘product differentiation’ going on the right side of politics in Australia.

“The attacks that they’re going to be more with sort of competence and efficiency rather than ideological positioning.”

The Poll Bludger author William Bowe said while it would be a test for Mr Taylor, history showed a Liberal defeat wouldn’t mean an immediate failure.

He pointed to former PM Scott Morrison’s electoral success despite losing the Sydney seat of Wentworth after rolling Malcolm Turnbull.

“Given that the raison d’être for having the leadership change was to shore themselves up against One Nation, I think that’s where the real intense interest lies,” he said.

“If they get a bad result to a certain extent, they can say that it’s because Sussan Ley’s been building up her personal vote for 24 years and that’s gone now.

“But it is undeniably a test of the extent to which, if any, Angus Taylor has sort of staunched the bleeding to One Nation.”

He said the Nationals shouldn’t engage in a race to the right with One Nation, with the Coalition still needing to claw back the mainstream voter, especially in lost inner city seats.

Mr Bowe said he expected the Nationals could continue to seize on Senator Hanson’s “erratic” comments to position her as “unprofessional” and “a loose cannon”.

While Labor haven’t announced if they’re going to run, Independent Michelle Milthorpe - the Climate 200 candidate - has already started campaigning, being endorsed by crossbenchers Helen Haines and David Pocock.

Ms Milthorpe ran second in last May’s election after polling 43.8 per cent of the vote. While the Farrer seat has been considered a safe Liberal seat for decades, Ms Ley experienced a more than 10 per cent swing against her.

Ms Ley’s formal resignation letter was accepted by Speaker Milton Dick who will consider and formally announce a date for the poll.

Ms Ley included some remarks in a statement on her resignation, speaking of the tough position the party was left in after Peter Dutton’s diabolical 2025 election loss.

“After the Liberal Party suffered our worst defeat in 81 years, it was with gratitude and humility that I took on the role of Leader of our Party,” she said.

It comes as the party today revealed a controversial review of former Opposition leader Peter Dutton’s disastrous 2025 election loss won’t be released publicly after a decision by their Federal executive last Friday.

The review was completed last year and poured over for months by party elders Nick Minchin and Pru Goward but delayed after Mr Dutton had raised concerns over its contents.

Mr Minchin told The Nightly he was “disappointed” it wouldn’t be publicly released but said he was buoyed the party had accepted all recommendations.

In a statement released on Friday, the Federal Executive said it would “move quickly to drive implementation” .

“What’s important now is that we strengthen our Party for the future,” it stated, thanking Mr Minchin, Ms Goward and the “hundreds” of submissions for their contribution.

“Our objective is simple: Rebuild the Party. Restore trust with voters. Win again.

“The Review recognises the Party’s enduring strengths. It also sets out where processes failed, where connection with voters was lost, and where we must do better.”

Mr Minchin, who undertook the work without remuneration, described it as a “very important review” canvassing the views of party members and MPs and candidates all over Australia and urged the party to take the recommendations seriously.

“I am disappointed that the Federal executive has chosen not to publish the review, although I’m pleased that they have accepted all our recommendations and the pledged to act upon them.

“Given that the result was so bad, and I think we’ve made some very sensible recommendations as to what needs to happen as a result of that election result, I’m confident the party will act upon them.”

Mr Minchin said he was “optimistic” that the party would be present a “competitive” offering at the next federal election and urged them to get on with it after the recent leadership spill.

“Mr Taylor is made a very successful transition into the leadership and appointed a very competent front bench and I’m optimistic that they have learnt a lessons from the terrible defeat in 2025 and we’ll ensure that we are much more competitive at the 2028 elections,” he said.

“I don’t think the fact of replacing Sussan with Angus of itself will damage the party in its rebuilding phase, but it does have to demonstrate to women voters, as well as all voters, that it’s understood the mistakes and problems from the 2025 campaign and that they will be corrected and that the party will perform accordingly.”

Ms Ley also confirmed her resignation and that she would not be returning to parliament when it returns on Monday for a valedictory speech.

“In keeping with my final remarks at Parliament House, I shall not be returning for a valedictory speech,” she said.

“I am confident that my efforts and achievements over 25 years will speak for themselves.

“I was elected by my parliamentary colleagues, and I thank them once again for the opportunity to serve.

“I believe my election as the first woman to ever lead not just the Federal Liberal Party, but any Federal Opposition, is a milestone for all women to be proud of.

“I hope I have paved the way for the next woman to be elected to, and succeed in, both these roles.

“Naturally, I am sad to no longer represent my electorate of Farrer. Every community in Farrer is unique.

“My approach was that one size does not fit all and I always fought to ensure that all of my constituents, whether they lived in the bigger centres or miles away from them, were treated with the same importance as anyone else, anywhere else across Australia.”