Sussan Ley has been elected as the first female leader of the federal Liberal Party, edging out rival Angus Taylor in a closely contested leadership ballot that marks a turning point for the party.
Ley, 63, secured 29 party room votes to Taylor’s 25, stepping up from her former role as deputy leader following Peter Dutton’s exit from parliament. Her victory signals a shift in direction for the Liberals as they seek to rebuild after their federal election loss, with Ley pledging to modernise the party and move away from the “captain’s calls” style of leadership.
Shadow energy minister Ted O’Brien was elected deputy leader, defeating Herbert MP Phillip Thompson 38 votes to 16. Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price had earlier ruled herself out of the deputy leadership race.
Ley, the Member for Farrer since 2001, has served in multiple senior portfolios under the Howard, Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments, including health, environment and education. A former aircraft pilot and taxation officer, she holds degrees in taxation and accountancy, and is aligned with the party’s moderate faction.
While her leadership campaign faced speculation over past internal leaks, Ley positioned herself as a consultative and future-focused alternative to the more conservative Taylor. Known for her feminist stance and a quirky name change inspired by numerology, she has also publicly voiced admiration for tech billionaire Elon Musk.
Ted O’Brien, her new deputy, has represented the Queensland seat of Fairfax since 2016 and entered the shadow cabinet in 2022. A fluent Mandarin speaker with degrees in economics and business administration, he has long championed nuclear energy as part of Australia’s energy mix.
Ley’s election marks a historic milestone in the Liberal Party’s 80-year history and sets the stage for a rebrand as a more inclusive and progressive centre-right force.
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