Sussan Ley MP

This morning, I wrote to the Speaker of the House of Representatives to advise of my immediate resignation from the Parliament as the Federal Member for Farrer.

In keeping with my final remarks at Parliament House, I shall not be returning for a valedictory speech. I am confident that my efforts and achievements over 25 years will speak for themselves; as a local member, Minister in four Coalition governments and Leader of the Liberal Party, as well as in the minds of the many people whose lives touched mine along the way.

Naturally, I am sad to no longer represent my electorate of Farrer. I love the wide western plains of New South Wales, the country towns along the Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers and the thriving cities of Albury and Griffith; communities that it has been my enormous privilege to serve for almost 25 years.

At one stage the western edge of Farrer was the entire New South Wales-South Australian border, touching Queensland at Camerons Corner. I certainly appreciated being able to fly myself in a light plane, often into remote airstrips.

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.

I came to know the electorate as a candidate, towing the caravan I lived in when I worked in the shearing sheds, up and down the Murray River. I became attached to the landscapes and lifestyles of this part of Australia and was never prouder than when speaking up for our communities in the national Parliament.

The people and their stories will always be with me. Farming families battling fires, dust storms, drought and low irrigation allocations; small business owners breathing activity into quiet streets and local volunteers asking for so little but doing so much.

And always, always, the wonderful women of western New South Wales — the ones who put themselves last without ever losing heart. I want to acknowledge their strength, their courage, and their sheer, bloody mindedness when fighting for the people they love and the future they deserve.

Wherever I travelled in Australia, part of me would miss ‘my people’, the people I always came home to at the end of every long road. I will continue to live in the best part of Australia.

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. 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.

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 Antisemitism and that we set clear directions on several key policy areas in tax, industrial relations, energy, national security, and families. I welcome the Coalition’s immediate re-adoption of many of these directions and policies in recent days and weeks.

The seat of Farrer was created in 1949. At every one of the 30 elections since, through different and challenging circumstances, it has been held without exception by the Liberal Party (for 60 years) and the National Party (for 17 years). The electorate has always been bigger than any one individual and has always been well-served by the Liberal Party. 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.

I wish every single member of the 48th Parliament the best as they work hard to make this country a better place for our children and grandchildren. I am acutely aware that the blessings my six grandchildren enjoy are not shared by every child. In this luckiest country, that is unfinished business for all of us.

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.

For me, I have never lost the feeling I had as a young girl, migrating to Australia, stepping off the plane after travelling halfway round the world. A big sky, a big country, a place to dream your biggest dreams.

I thank the people of Farrer for the honour of representing them for the last 25 years.

Getting the budget under control is the first step to rebuilding a strong economy. We will stop the waste and reduce debt so Australia can grow with confidence.

A stronger economy means secure jobs, stronger businesses and the capacity to fund the essential services Australians rely on. It rewards effort, supports enterprise and backs families who are working hard to get ahead.

Better budgeting is how we bring down inflation.
Remember: when Labor spends, prices rise, and you pay.
Economic discipline is how we deliver personal incomes tax cuts, reduce waste, pay back the debt and guarantee the essential services Australians rely on.

Lower taxes is a foundation of the Liberal Party.
It’s a promise we make to Australians that we will respect their hard work and let them keep more of what they earn.
Under my leadership, we are restoring that promise by lowering taxes and reining in wasteful spending.
That’s how we get the economy under control.

Fixing the budget will take the pressure off families.
Lower taxes will let Australians keep more of what they earn.
Affordable energy will keep bills low and keep the lights on.
And stronger communities will make every Australian feel safe and secure - as they should.
These are the priorities my team are committed to deliver.

Aspiration sits at the heart of the Australian promise. If you work hard, play by the rules, do your best for your kids and give back to your community, you should be able to build a better life for your family.

That belief was shaped by my own journey. I came to this country as a migrant, grew up in regional Australia, worked as a pilot, a cook and a roustabout, and carried those lessons with me into public life. They taught me that effort matters and that opportunity should never be out of reach.

Today, too many Australians feel that promise slipping away. Families are working harder but falling behind. Our task is to fight for them. We will hold the Government to account for the pressures facing households, and we will offer a clear alternative that restores reward for effort.

An Australia with lower personal income taxes, less red tape and strong communities. An Australia that is safe, confident and full of opportunity. That is the country I believe in and will always stand up for. For now, and for future generations.

The Albanese Labor Government has failed on the economy, failed on the cost of living and failed to keep Australians safe.
Every time Australians look at their mortgage, their grocery bill or their power bill they see the result of a weak Prime Minister who has lost control of the economy. Higher taxes, more debt and more pressure on families is the legacy of this government.
We will take the pressure off families, fix the budget, and keep Australia safe.

We will take the pressure off families, fix the budget, and keep Australia safe.

Just over an hour ago, I had the privilege of meeting with President Isaac Herzog of Israel to discuss how we can work to strengthen our alliance.

President Herzog’s visit to Australia is an important opportunity to reset and strengthen a strained bilateral relationship. At moments like this, mature leadership calls for cooperation, respect and a reaffirmation of shared democratic values. This visit provides a constructive platform to rebuild trust and deepen engagement.

It is deeply disappointing to see protests surrounding this visit in the aftermath of a national tragedy. While peaceful protest is a democratic right, the timing and tone of these demonstrations risk compounding division at a moment that calls for unity and reflection.

The focus right now should be on supporting victims and their families, rejecting antisemitism in all its forms and reinforcing the social cohesion that underpins our nation. That’s what we’re determined to do.

Labor is laying the groundwork for a new housing tax and the Treasury Secretary has now all but confirmed it.

Australians have seen this play before. Jim Chalmers was the architect of $387 billion in higher taxes in 2019, including a housing tax that voters rejected.

This would be another broken promise from a government that has already tried to increase taxes on superannuation. Instead of doing the hard work to rein in spending, Labor is once again looking to Australians’ pockets.

The Coalition believes in lower, simpler taxes that reward effort, encourage investment and help more Australians get ahead. When Labor spends more, Australians pay more.

Violence and unrest have been allowed to fester and Australians are rightly concerned about their safety.

The response to the Bondi tragedy left many people feeling let down at a time when the country needed strength and clarity. A safe nation is the foundation for everything else. Australians cannot build their lives with confidence if they do not feel secure in their own communities.

Our commitment is firm:
🔵 Crack down on antisemitism
🔵 Tackle violent extremism
🔵 Take strong action to fight terrorism
🔵 Secure our borders to protect Australians

Protecting Australians and defending our way of life is a government’s first responsibility. That is the standard we will uphold.