Ms Ley has formally quit parliament and her resignation as the Federal Member for Farrer will trigger a by-election — expected to be a hotly contested race.
‘’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,’’ Ms Ley said in a statement on Friday, February 27.
‘’I shall not be returning for a valedictory speech. I am confident that my efforts and achievements over 25 years will speak for themselves.’’
Ms Ley said she was proud of her work establishing a federal royal commission into antisemitism and setting clear policy directions on tax, industrial relations, energy, national security and families.
‘’Naturally, I am sad to no longer represent my electorate of Farrer,’’ Ms Ley said.
‘’I love the wide western plains of NSW, 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.
‘’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 thank the people of Farrer for the honour of representing them for the last 25 years.’’
She was ousted as opposition leader on February 13, defeated by Angus Taylor.
Among coalition ranks, the by-election vote is viewed as the first major test of Mr Taylor’s leadership.
The Liberals, Nationals, One Nation and independent Michelle Milthorpe hope to win Ms Ley’s seat.
Fellow independents David Pocock and Helen Haines publicly endorsed Ms Milthorpe on Friday, effectively kicking off the campaign for Farrer even though a by-election date is yet to be set.
Ms Milthorpe ran against Ms Ley in the 2025 federal election, losing by 56.2 to 43.8 per cent after preferences.
NSW Member for Murray Helen Dalton made it public she was considering a tilt at the seat, with reports surfacing she had been approached by Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party.
Ms Dalton said her intention was to represent her constituents as best as possible, either in state or national politics.
State Liberal MP for Albury Justin Clancy had been considering a run but ruled himself out on Friday morning, citing family commitments.
Local Nationals party members will also vote on their candidate in the coming weeks.
– AAP
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