Sussan Ley’s salary slashed by $200k after Liberal leadership loss
Sussan Ley’s salary was cut by more than $200,000 after she lost the Liberal Party leadership.
Ms Ley, the party’s first female leader, voted in favor of Angus Taylor as leader of the opposition on Friday morning.
Until Friday, Ms. Ley was earning $442,649 a year, comprising a base salary of $239,270 plus 85 percent loading, according to a 2025 decision by the Independent Remuneration Tribunal.
Instead, if Ms Ley is now relegated to the backbench, she will likely walk away with just her basic salary.
Ms Ley will also lose access to many of her own staff as well as other privileges, including large offices in Parliament House reserved for the opposition leader.
However, it will retain other benefits available to all parliamentarians, such as the use of government vehicles or ComCars for parliamentary business or where the use of a vehicle with a private number plate would be inappropriate.
It will also continue to have access to family reunification flights, which were subject to serious scrutiny late last year and were rearranged on the recommendation of the court.
Senator Jane Hume, who left the backbench to become deputy opposition leader, will earn an additional $137,580, bringing her total earnings to $376,850.
