Sussan Ley will soon quit politics, saying she plans on “stepping away completely and comprehensively from public life” after being defeated in a partyroom spill for the Liberal leadership.

The decision sets up a byelection for Ley’s seat of Farrer, which could result in the opposition’s parliamentary numbers dwindling further.

Ley, the former opposition leader who lost the vote 34-17 to conservative challenger Angus Taylor, said her tenure had been “very tough” but she bore no ill will to colleagues who voted against her, and wished her successor good luck.

In a short statement to the media after the result was announced, in which she took no questions, Ley said she looked forward to spending time with her family and pursuing her hobby of aviation. Ley also referenced the undermining she had experienced from colleagues and critics who had agitated against her leadership from day one.

“It is important that the new leader gets clear air, something that is not always afforded to leaders, but which in the present moment is more important than ever,” Ley said.

“I will be spending the next couple of weeks thanking the amazing people of Farrer, and expressing my gratitude to them for the honour of representing them for 25 years. Shortly thereafter, I will be tendering my resignation to the speaker.”

Taylor and fellow conservative Andrew Hastie had been reported to be making leadership moves since early in Ley’s leadership, when she took over in the wake of Peter Dutton’s crushing election defeat in May 2025.

Making several references to the difficulties and destabilisation she’d faced in her tenure, Ley said it had been “a challenging time to lead the party after we suffered the worst defeat in 81 years.”

“It has been tough, at times very tough, but every sleepless night, every intractable problem, indeed, every personal challenge, has always been put in perspective by my understanding of the burdens that so many ordinary Australians face quietly.”

Ley’s seat of Farrer, a large rural electorate in New South Wales along the Victorian border, was formerly held by the Nationals. At the 2025 election, Ley faced a strong challenge from an independent candidate, while One Nation won 6.6% of the primary vote. Farrer is surrounded by Nationals-held seats, and borders the Victorian seat of Indi, held by independent Helen Haines.

A byelection in the seat would be an early test of Taylor’s leadership, particularly in how the Liberals would fare against a resurgent One Nation, which is currently leading the opposition in many published opinion polls nationally – including the Guardian Essential poll, which put Pauline Hanson’s party on a 22% primary vote nationwide.

One Nation will reportedly contest a Farrer by-election.

Ley in her statement noted that she had become Liberal leader shortly after her mother had died.

“I’m not sure what comes next for me. I look forward to stepping away completely and comprehensively from public life, to spend time with my family, and to reconnect with my enduring passion, aviation, which taught me, if I had an ego, I’d be dead. It’s been quite useful in politics,” Ley said.

Ley thanked her outgoing deputy, Ted O’Brien, who was also unsuccessful in recontesting his position, and wished her colleagues well.

“I leave it for others to judge this period of my leadership, now and with the passing of time. While I’m sure plenty of people will have plenty to say. I’ve never sought to influence what other people think of me,” she said.

“I am proud of the role I played in establishing a royal commission into antisemitism. I am proud that we landed an energy policy in November last year, and I’m also proud that after a difficult period, the Coalition reformed stronger than before.”

More details to follow.