Sussan Ley’s mother Angela Braybrooks dies days after her historic win as Liberal leader

Newly minted opposition leader Sussan Ley has tragically lost her mother Angela just days after her historic win as the first female Liberal leader.

Opposition leader Sussan Ley has revealed her mother Angela Braybrooks has died.

Ms Ley told reporters at the end of her first press conference as Liberal leader that she would be spending time with her mother in Albury where she was in end-of-life care.

Her mother passed away on Saturday morning.

Ms Ley earlier this week became the first female leader of the Liberal Party after winning by four votes against former treasury spokesman Angus Taylor.

Her win came after former opposition leader Peter Dutton lost his seat of Dickson in the Liberals’ catastrophic election result on May 3.

Ms Ley paid tribute to her mum on Tuesday after her win, crediting her for teaching her the values of resilience, persistence and self-reliance.

Sussan Ley with her mum Angela Braybrooks. Picture: Supplied,

Leader of the Opposition Sussan Ley, at home in Albury, NSW. Picture: Alex Coppel.

“‘I want to acknowledge my mum, Angela,” Ms Ley told reporters.

“My mum is very sick and, on Mother’s Day, before I came up here, I called in to see her and I thought that might be the last time I did.

“She is in end-of-life care and this week has been tough because I kept in touch with her and her medical team and my family.

“My mum grew up in wartime Britain and the values of resilience, self-reliance and persistence that I believe I have today come from her.”

Ms Ley’s win over Mr Taylor has been welcomed by Liberals hoping she can rebuild the party’s relationship with women, migrants and young people — three demographics that abandoned the Coalition at the election.

Sussan Ley shared these pictures of her family from Mother's Day, 2025. Picture: Supplied

Former Liberal Prime Minister Scott Morrison described her ascension to leader as a “miracle”.

“Miracles still happen, and a path is always there, no matter how narrow,” Mr Morrison wrote on social media.

“Special congratulations to Sussan on becoming the first woman to be elected to this role. An historic day (sic).”

Ms Ley is yet to announce her new shadow cabinet with the Liberals and the Nationals still waiting to thrash out a new Coalition agreement.

Newly elected Opposition Leader, Sussan Ley and Deputy Leader Ted O'Brien at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

In a heartfelt statement, Ms Ley thanked the medical and aged care staff who took care of her mother.

“In the very early hours of this morning, my mother, Angela Braybrooks, passed away here in Albury. My family and I feel this loss deeply,” she said.

“Thank you to the many Australians who have expressed their sympathies to me and my family.

“Like so many of her generation, she weathered uncertain times with strength and determination. I have taken inspiration from her every single day of my life and I always will.”

She also paid tribute to Ms Braybrooks career as a mental health nurse and revealed her mother had spent her final days watching Ms Ley’s first press conference as opposition leader.

“(She) could never have dreamed that her daughter would become Australia’s first female Leader of the Opposition, but because of her, that happened this week,” she said.

“It was a gift of fate that I was able to share Mother’s Day with my mum one last time on Sunday.

“On Monday night in Canberra, our parish priest organised a FaceTime call, telling Angela she had to ‘hang on’ to see one more special moment in her daughter’s life. If she could do that, he promised her, ‘we’ll have champagne tomorrow’.

“On Tuesday, hours after I was afforded the enormous privilege by my Liberal colleagues of leading our party, I drove back down the Hume Highway to be at her bedside.

“Whilst mum was no longer verbal, she watched every moment of my press conference. As I walked back into her room that afternoon, her eyes lit up.”

Originally published as Sussan Ley’s mother Angela Braybrooks dies days after her historic win as Liberal leader