New Liberal leader FAILED to declare Palestinian-paid expenses
Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley has admitted to breaching parliamentary guidelines over unreported travel expenses.
An investigation has confirmed that new Liberal leader Sussan Ley failed to disclose travel expenses paid by the Palestinian Authority during a 2011 trip to the West Bank — a breach of parliamentary disclosure rules.
Ley, then a vocal critic of Israel and a supporter of Palestinian statehood, did not declare accommodation, meals and ground transport provided during the trip. Other MPs who took part declared similar expenses as required.
The issue came to light after a Sky News report in January revealed the omission, prompting Ley’s office to launch an internal probe.
"An administrative oversight occurred whereby Ms Ley's disclosures were not updated to reflect the fact that some accommodation, some meals and ground transport were provided by the Palestinian National Authority,” a spokesman said on Wednesday — just one day after Ley secured the Liberal leadership.
“In January 2025, Ms Ley formally made that declaration to the Deputy Clerk of the Parliament and the Deputy Clerk confirmed the matter was resolved.”
I’ve always had the vague understanding that Sussan Ley was reasonably hostile to Israel, though over the last few years I’ve been pleasantly surprised at her public comments.
— Gideon Rozner (@GideonCRozner) May 12, 2025
So I got Grok Deepsearch to have a look at Ley’s words and actions over her parliamentary career.… pic.twitter.com/biy3qqdVCE
Ley had previously expressed strong support for the Palestinian agenda. In a 2011 parliamentary speech, she said: “I support the Palestinian bid for statehood in part because it will give heart to the ordinary people of the West Bank and Gaza.”
However, she has since claimed her views have changed following a 2022 visit to Israel.
“I took a trip at the invitation of Julian Leeser, an outstanding colleague and dear friend to Israel, and I spent a lot of time seeing what was happening on the ground and the impact of that trip and the change geopolitical circumstances of the Abraham Accords with Israel reaching out for peace to Saudi, to Morocco and then of course the hideous events of October 7 in Gaza have changed my thinking on the entire subject,” she said on Tuesday.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley renounces past anti-Israel remarks.
— Australian Jewish Association (@AustralianJA) May 13, 2025
Claims she is still a 'steadfast friend of the Palestinian people'.
Do you welcome the new-look Sussan Ley? pic.twitter.com/2IvI8Y2g5y
“Having said that, I remain a steadfast friend of the Palestinian people and I wish that we had right now, a partner in this peace process.”
Ley narrowly defeated shadow treasurer Angus Taylor in the Liberal partyroom ballot on Tuesday, winning 29 votes to 15.
Featured Stories
46;51
