Representative Sussan Ley Contact information

Sussan Ley is an Australian politician and deputy leader of the Liberal Party and Deputy Leader of the Opposition since May 2022. She has been a member of parliament (MP) for the New South Wales seat of Farrer since 2001 and has served as a cabinet minister in the Abbott, Turnbull, and Morrison governments.

Ley was born on December 14, 1961, in Kano, Nigeria, to English parents. She grew up in the United Arab Emirates and England before moving to Australia as a teenager. Before entering politics, Ley worked as a commercial pilot, farmer, and public servant based in Albury, New South Wales. She attended Campbell High School, Dickson College, La Trobe University, the University of New South Wales, and Charles Sturt University, earning master’s degrees in taxation and accountancy.

Ley joined the Liberal Party’s Tallangatta branch in 1994 and was elected to the House of Representatives at the 2001 election, winning the New South Wales seat of Farrer for the Liberal Party. She served as Parliamentary Secretary (Children and Youth Affairs) and Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry in the Howard government.

Following the 2007 election, Ley became Shadow Minister for Housing and Shadow Minister for Status of Women in the Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson’s shadow cabinet. She later served as Shadow Minister for Customs and Justice under Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership, and as Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Employment Participation and Shadow Minister for Childcare and Early Childhood Learning under Tony Abbott’s leadership.

After the Coalition’s victory at the 2013 federal election, Ley was appointed Assistant Minister for Education in the Abbott government, with responsibility for childcare. She was promoted to cabinet in December 2014 as Minister for Health and Minister for Sport and became Minister for Aged Care in September 2015 following the replacement of Tony Abbott with Malcolm Turnbull.

In January 2017, Ley resigned from her ministerial portfolios following a controversy over her travel expense claims. She returned to the ministry in August 2018 when Scott Morrison succeeded Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister and served as Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories before becoming Minister for the Environment.

In the 47th Australian Parliament, Ley represents the Opposition in the roles of Shadow Minister for Women, Industry, Skills and Training, as well as Small and Family Business.