Sussan Ley becomes new opposition leader following industry portfolio role

Sussan Ley, who held the shadow industry minister role going into the Coalition’s heavy election loss earlier this month, was elected leader of the parliamentary Liberal Party on Tuesday, beating Angus Taylor by 29 votes to 25.

In a statement following the vote, Ley pledged to “listen, change and develop a fresh approach” following the landslide loss to Labor at the May 3 federal election, and to provide a “real alternative” to the current government. 

“This means standing for lower, simpler, and fairer taxes — not as an economic ideology, but because we trust people to spend their own money more than we do the government,” said Ley, also citing education and supportive policies as well as payments to families.

“And it means building a strong, sovereign Australia — confident in its values, prepared to defend them, and clear-eyed about the global challenges we face.”

On Wednesday morning, with 86.7 per cent of votes counted, Labor had won 93 lower house seats and the Coalition 41.

As shadow federal industry minister, Ley was a regular critic on issues such as the speed of rolling out the National Reconstruction Fund and its investment choices, a claimed failure to improve apprenticeship numbers, and the number of manufacturing and other businesses failing.

Ley said in March, citing ASIC figures: “727 Australian businesses became insolvent in January 2025, breaking a twelve-year record and 1,214 businesses closed for good in February 2025, breaking a thirteen-year record.

“This follows 2024 which was the worst year on record for business insolvencies.”

The ABC reported on Wednesday morning that Ley has declined to give a timetable for appointing shadow portfolios, with ongoing tensions between the Liberals and their Coalition partner.

“Coalition sources told the ABC there was no rush to finalise the arrangements, with the decision perhaps the most important early in Ms Ley’s tenure given policy and ideological tensions both with the Nationals and within the Liberals,” according to the report.

Picture: credit sussanley.com

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