Opposition leader Sussan Ley has been ridiculed on social media after posting a “feminist girl boss” style photo of herself walking into Parliament wearing a pink pantsuit.
The image showed the Liberal leader flanked by female MPs Melissa Price and Angie Bell and was captioned: “It’s my first Question Time as Opposition Leader, and my experienced team is ready.”
But the post backfired, with right-wing voters criticising her on X and Facebook, calling her “cringe” and “Labor lite”, asking where the men were, and saying she should be focussed on opposing Labor instead of trying to copy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
It’s my first Question Time as Opposition Leader, and my experienced team is ready. pic.twitter.com/LASeADucrp
— Sussan Ley (@sussanley) July 23, 2025
“This is the leader of Australia’s main conservative party. With opposition like this Albanese will rule a ten thousand year reich,” wrote political commentator Drew Pavlou on X.
“A new era, I give you the… Leybor Party,” wrote former Liberal Party executive Matthew Camenzuli in a repost that attracted far more likes that Ms Ley’s.
“‘They girlbossed across the room very feministly’,” political consultant John Macgowan said in another heavily liked repost.
“We don’t want a female version of Albanese,” one X user commented.
“Thank you for putting another nail in the coffin of the LNP,” said another, and many others called on her to fire her advisors and social media team.
But on Facebook, where most of the comments were negative, Liberal Party MP Madeleine Ogilvie responded “love the pink” with a flexing bicep emoji.
And on X a lone supporter wrote: “I think there will be a bit of humble pie being eaten by the knockers in a few months time. Dangerous to underestimate Sussan. And it is a stunning photo.”
For those who missed the opening of Parliament and maiden speeches from newly elected MPs, here’s a quick video summary of how it all went down. pic.twitter.com/z6JsxjZGek
— Australians vs. The Agenda (@ausvstheagenda) July 22, 2025
The post came a day after Ms Ley echoed the Prime Minister by performing a “land acknowledgement” humiliation ritual at the opening of Parliament.
“As the leader of the Opposition, and on behalf of the Coalition, I acknowledge the [unintelligible] peoples, who are the traditional custodians of the Canberra area, and pay respect to elders past and present of all of Australia’s indigenous peoples,” she said.
Her speech came before One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, and senators Malcolm Roberts, Tyron Whitten and Warwick Stacey turned their backs as Senate President Sue Lines read a similar welcome to country statement.
Header image credit: Sussan Ley (X).
