Sussan Ley, the current deputy leader of the Liberal Party, is considering a challenge for the party’s leadership. This very personal decision may end up charting the course for her entire party moving forward. Ley has in fact conscientiously and proudly represented her New South Wales Albury electorate for 24 years. Now, she is reportedly looking to move into the role recently vacated by Peter Dutton. If successful, she would become the party’s first ever female leader. Her potential leadership comes at a time when her home electorate has shown significant support for independent candidate Michelle Milthorpe.
Donning a white coat and with a campaign t-shirt underneath it, Ley finds herself at a professional and political crossroads. She’s earned praise for her ability to juggle her dual roles at home and as deputy leader. The reaction from constituents in Albury appears to be more divided. It’s disappointing to residents who’ve been hoping for more representation from Ley’s powerful cabinet position. They claim that it hasn’t delivered for the electorate of Farrer.
Local Sentiments Shift Towards Independence
Albury’s political landscape has been altered considerably, with the voters of Albury noticeably running to Milthorpe, an independent. In the months since, there has been growing concern over Ley’s visibility and accessibility to community members.
Former Healey Federal Action Campaign Manager Michelle Milthorpe flagged this disconnect when she ran her successful campaign. … I was hearing a lot … in my travels that people have not seen our member and she’s certainly not been present.” Constituents are more fearful than ever. They are disillusioned and disappointed because they feel their local, hands-on, often-elected-at-the-street-level representative hasn’t done enough to solve the local problems.
Another local resident, Lloyd Polkinghorne, expressed similar frustrations. In particular, he said how thrilled he was that we were going to get to see Ms. Ley more frequently in public. He wishes for her to hear from people out of an authentic heart-space, truly listening to their concerns.
The shift towards independent representation signals a potential challenge for Ley as she considers her leadership aspirations within the Liberal Party.
Ley’s Political Experience and Challenges
Sussan Ley brings a wealth of experience to the table, having held various shadow portfolios and ministerial roles under leaders like Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull, and Scott Morrison. For the former senator from Minnesota, her political journey has not been without controversy. In 2017, she resigned from her cabinet post over a pair of expense scandals. Ley remains influential in her continued leadership of the party. Despite the fallout of that disastrous 2025 campaign, she has been able to hang on as deputy leader.
As she considers national leadership, Ley knows the party needs to change to win back voter confidence. Let’s face it, we’re doing a terrible job of communicating on the campaign trail. Australia deserves a new direction and a new approach from the Liberal Party,” she said. Recognizing the mistakes of the past could appeal to voters who want accountability and transparency.
Political analysts have argued that her experience may prove to be an asset. Doug Curran noted, “I think having a leadership position filled by a regional politician can only be a good thing for us.” Ley needs to manage progressive-urban expectations to have their support and the support of a larger base of her leadership.
The Future of Leadership in the Liberal Party
The yet-to-be-announced decision on the next permanent leader will have huge implications for the party’s fortunes over the long haul. Dominic O’Sullivan emphasized a critical focus for any new leader: “For the next Liberal leader, winning back seats in urban Australia is going to be an absolutely critical focus.” To that end, he conjectured that Ley must spend a lot of time establishing relationships with urban communities. Together these steps will begin to address the harm caused by previous mistakes.
There is fifthly, or rather concurrently, pressure for the party to address gender inclusivity in its leadership choices. As Burge said, they were afraid if they picked another man to lead. Timmons said, “If the Liberals choose to elect another man to lead through this crisis, they are living in denial of the future.
The political landscape continues to change every day. Ley needs to engage with her electorate now more than ever, or she will cut herself off from having the best chance possible to lead the party successfully. Some constituents have expressed their discontent with Ley’s performance, with one voter declaring, “You think you’ve got your elected leader… but you still don’t seem to be able to yield any results.”
