Sussan Ley's leadership push met with support and reservations in FarrerBy Alice Walker, Rachel Holdsworth and Sarah KriegABC Goulburn MurrayTopic:Political Leadership49m ago49 minutes agoSat 10 May 2025 at 9:39pmSussan Ley wants to become the first female leader of the Liberal Party. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)In short:Sussan Ley's leadership bid has attracted mixed support in her safe seat of Farrer amid concerns it could distract her from local issues.The electorate swung hard against Ms Ley in the federal election, and she lost the majority of voting booths in her home base of Albury.What's next?Angus Taylor has also announced his candidacy for the Liberal leadership, which will be decided at a party meeting on Tuesday.abc.net.au/news/sussan-ley-farrer-response-liberal-leadership-ambitions/105273544Link copiedShareShare articleThe electorate of Farrer does not like change.Named after wheat breeder William James Farrer, the seat covers more than 12,500 square kilometres of sparsely populated southern New South Wales, skirting most of the Victorian border.Since its establishment in 1949, it has had just four members, all from the Coalition.Federal politics live updates: Get the latest on the post-election election landscapeLive results: Find out what's happening in your seat as counting continuesSussan Ley, who has held Farrer for 24 years, entered this election with a 16.4 per cent margin as deputy Liberal leader — but a 10-point swing has narrowed that significantly.Ms Ley this week announced she wants to replace Peter Dutton as leader of the Liberal Party.But her critics say that claiming the party leadership could come at the expense of her electorate.Seeking SussanAfter a gruelling schedule across much of the country, Ms Ley spent the last week of her campaign pounding the pavement in Albury.Sussan Ley's home of Albury largely turned to independent candidate Michelle Milthorpe. (ABC Goulburn-Murray: Sarah Krieg)While first-time independent candidate Michelle Milthorpe trailed Ley overall, she dominated Albury, taking five of six booths — a result she credits to both national sentiment and local issues, particularly the fight over hospital upgrades.While she is pleased to see the Liberal Party considering a female leader, she questions the impact of taking Ms Ley away from the electorate."I was hearing a lot … in my travels that people have not seen our member and she's certainly not been present," she said."So I can't imagine that would be advantageous."Michelle Milthorpe has not ruled out running for a second time. (ABC Goulburn-Murray: Annie Brown)Further west in Farrer, editor and owner of Koondrook-Barham Bridge newspaper Lloyd Polkinghorne said Ms Milthorpe was a much more visible candidate than Ms Ley. "It would be great to see [Ms Ley] out and about a bit more, and also approaching people from an authentic heart-space, just being genuine, listening to people," he said.Mr Polkinghorne said balancing national responsibilities with the needs of a diverse, sparsely populated electorate was difficult and Ms Ley's cabinet role had not afforded any benefits to her electorate."It's quite frustrating as a community member," he said."You think you've got your elected leader, they're in a position of power, they're in the role to be able to change things, but you still don't seem to be able to yield any results."Newspaper editor Lloyd Polkinghorne says party leadership could be a "double-edged sword" for Ley. (Supplied: Lloyd Polkinghorne)Charles Sturt University political scientist Dominic O'Sullivan said taking on the Liberal leadership came with risks at home."For the next Liberal leader, winning back seats in urban Australia is going to be an absolutely critical focus," he said."So Sussan Ley will be spending a lot of time in Sydney and Brisbane, I think, where they really need to make up big ground."Political scientist Dominic O'Sullivan says the Liberal Party has a scarcity of leadership options. (Supplied: Charles Sturt University)Election fallout and analysis:How Peter Dutton's campaign flew off a cliffWhat happened to the Greens vote in Victoria?ANALYSIS: The Coalition is split on nuclear after election lossWant even more? Here's where you can find all our 2025 federal election coverageCatch the latest interviews and in-depth coverage on ABC iview and ABC ListenThe 'natural fit'Griffith City Council Mayor Doug Curran is backing his local member as the "natural fit" at the helm of the Liberal Party."Will it mean less representation for us? I don't think so," he said."Sussan's been very good at being able to manage her role locally as well as the deputy leader role."I think having a leadership position filled by a regional politician can only be a good thing for us."Griffith City Council Mayor Doug Curran says Ms Ley has done a good job for Farrer. (Supplied: Griffith City Council)Ms Ley and Angus Taylor, who has also thrown his hat into the ring for Liberal leadership, are both aiming to become the first regionally based opposition leader since Alexander Downer in 1994.Ms Ley would also have the distinction of being the party's first female leader.Shirlee Burge, the Liberal Party's Deniliquin branch executive, said her membership hinged on the leadership choice."If the Liberals elected another male to the leadership at this crisis point in the party, then they are not looking to the future," she said. "I would probably rip up my membership."While stressing she was not speaking on behalf of the branch, Ms Burge said she thought Ms Ley could get the party back on track. Shirlee Burge says Sussan Ley has not forgotten her country roots. (ABC News: Isadora Bogle)"Anyone who has been watching politics for the last 20 years would see that she's a bit of a quiet achiever, and I am pretty sure they would be surprised at the depth of Sussan Ley," she said."She's never been allowed to express herself, she's been sort of subjugated by stronger men."Let's have a look at what Sussan Ley does once she is put into this position."Loading...Leadership ambitionsMs Ley did not respond to requests for comment, but released a statement on Friday announcing her tilt at the party leadership."It is clear that we got it wrong [at the election] and that Australia expects a change in direction and a fresh approach from the Liberal Party," she said.Ms Ley grew up overseas while her father worked for British intelligence and earned her commercial pilot's licence as a teenager.Sussan Ley has significant frontbench experience for the Liberals. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)She is known for her quirk, famously adding an "s" to her name for numerology reasons.Ms Ley has frontbench experience, having held a range of shadow portfolios and ministerial positions under Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison.But she is not free from controversy, having stepped down from cabinet in 2017 over expense scandals and played a role in her party's disastrous 2025 campaign as deputy leader.The Liberal partyroom will decide whether Ms Ley is the right person to lead, but whether her own electorate stands behind that decision remains to be seen.Posted 49m ago49 minutes agoSat 10 May 2025 at 9:39pmShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesIsrael is keeping up its blockade of aid as kids starve to deathTopic:WarPhoto shows A small baby in a pink onesie sleeps on a blue and yellow blanket.India-Pakistan ceasefire breaks down hours after truce announcedTopic:Unrest, Conflict and WarPhoto shows Two soldiers walk down a path next to people taking photos on the banks of a riverHow Australia's biggest pokies dynasty is rewriting its legacyTopic:GamblingPhoto shows Len Ainsworth poses for a portrait at a table in a dark room with poker machines behind him.Harry, Charles and the grief dilemma tearing apart the royal familyTopic:RoyaltyPhoto shows An older man and two younger men Soviet spacecraft Kosmos 482 plunges to Earth after 53 years in orbitTopic:SpacecraftPhoto shows A small circular spacecraftRelated storiesPrice defection slammed as Taylor and Ley confirm plans to runTopic:Political LeadershipPhoto shows Federal shadow minister for Indigenous Australians Jacinta Price standing and speaking outside a voting centre.Liberal leadership race narrows to two likely contenders, Ley and Taylor Topic:Liberal Party of AustraliaPhoto shows Angus Taylor Sussan LeyRelated topicsAlburyAustralian Federal ElectionsCanberraGovernment and PoliticsPolitical LeadershipRegional CommunitiesWodongaTop StoriesIsrael is keeping up its blockade of aid as kids starve to deathTopic:WarPhoto shows A small baby in a pink onesie sleeps on a blue and yellow blanket.India-Pakistan ceasefire breaks down hours after truce announcedTopic:Unrest, Conflict and WarHow Australia's biggest pokies dynasty is rewriting its legacyTopic:GamblingHarry, Charles and the grief dilemma tearing apart the royal familyTopic:RoyaltySoviet spacecraft Kosmos 482 plunges to Earth after 53 years in orbitTopic:SpacecraftJust InTasmanian poppy processor taps into weight-loss drug marketTopic:Pharmaceuticals11m ago11 minutes agoSat 10 May 2025 at 10:17pmItalian crowd compares Sinner's victorious return to pope's ascentTopic:Tennis32m ago32 minutes agoSat 10 May 2025 at 9:56pmAfter 40 years calling the Sunshine Coast home, Narelle has been forced out Topic:Housing Policy36m ago36 minutes agoSat 10 May 2025 at 9:52pmLey's leadership push met with mixed response in home electorateTopic:Political Leadership49m ago49 minutes agoSat 10 May 2025 at 9:39pmMore Just InBack to top