Sussan Ley has made history as the first woman to lead the Liberal Party, securing the leadership in a narrow contest against shadow treasurer Angus Taylor.
The 63-year-old former deputy leader, backed by the party’s moderate wing, won 29 votes to Mr Taylor’s 25 in the ballot.
Her elevation comes after a disastrous federal election result for the Coalition, which saw former leader Peter Dutton lose his seat and the party reduced to just 42 seats in the House of Representatives.
Ted O'Brien, most recently the party’s energy spokesperson, was elected deputy leader after defeating Phil Thompson 38 votes to 16.
Northern Territory senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price did not contest the deputy leadership after defecting from the Nationals to support Mr Taylor’s leadership bid earlier in the week.
Ms Ley now faces the challenge of uniting a fractured party that remains closely tied to the previous leadership, with both she and Mr Taylor having served under Peter Dutton.
Throughout the campaign, Ms Ley positioned herself as a centrist and called for the party to modernise its image and policies.
She noted in a statement released last week, “Many Australians, including women and younger Australians, feel neglected by the Liberal Party. We must rebuild trust with all sections of Australian society and my election as Leader of the Liberal Party would send a very strong signal that we understand things need to be done differently.”
Representing the New South Wales seat of Farrer for over 20 years, Ms Ley has held several senior portfolios, including environment, health, aged care and sport, particularly during the Morrison government.
Her immediate focus will be selecting a new frontbench team and setting a direction for the party as it seeks to rebuild after one of the most bruising defeats in its history.
