Sussan Ley, the deputy leader of the opposition, has said she is happy of her record even if she is up for reelection to a remote NSW seat.
Speaking to Insiders, Ms Ley acknowledged the challenge was “unusual” given that she serves as the deputy leader of the opposition and that it tries to have her removed as the Liberal candidate for her seat at the upcoming election.
Ms. Ley has held the Farrer seat in regional NSW since 2001 and has worked as a minister under Prime Ministers Scott Morrison, Tony Abbott, and Malcolm Turnbull.
Prior to Mr. Morrison’s intervention, she was the most senior female politician in the Liberal Party and faced a comparable obstacle before the 2022 federal election.
At the time, Mr. Morrison said that his intervention was required to defend female MPs from “factional games in the Liberal Party.”
In order to be saved, Ms. Ley may now need to go to her present boss, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.
Given her seniority in the party, Ms. Ley acknowledged that the action taken against her was “a bit unusual”.
“Rank-and-file preselections absolutely should have their place, and if I go through that, I go through that,” she declared.
When questioned about Mr. Dutton’s backing, Ms. Ley responded, “Absolutely. He is, indeed.
It is still unknown if Mr. Dutton would act in a same manner to Mr. Morrison and step in to save the most powerful woman in the shadow cabinet.
In their Western Sydney electorates, the former immigration minister Alex Hawke and the member for Lindsay Melissa McIntosh are both up against tough preselection odds.
