Sussan Skips Town And Joins Camp Out The Back Of Mungo

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact

Former Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has reportedly joined a station camp someone out near Mungo National Park, following her resignation from federal parliament earlier this month.

Ley, who stepped down after losing a Liberal Party leadership ballot, is understood to be staying on a pastoral property near Balranald. The move has triggered a by-election in Farrer.

Local sources say the former MP has integrated into daily station operations, assisting with camp cooking and mustering.

"She's taken on the cook role most nights," one station worker said. “Feeds everyone. Keeps it simple. It's mostly just meat cooking in stock with veges. We watched her pith a stranger in the yards and cut it up. She's still got it."

Ley is also believed to be flying the property’s Cessna 172 aircraft to assist with cattle movements. Stockmen said she has been using low passes and engine backfiring to shift cattle that have become difficult to move after a disappointing few seasons.

"The cattle are a bit doughy in the heat still, we're on them early," a worker said. "But she's a fucken psycho, that plane will need a roo bar she gets that low. We hear her from miles away, revving the guts out of it, keybang, then pushes the nose down. Vrooooom BANG! Vroooooom BANG!"

Tourists near Balranald report Ley has been seen at the Homebush Hotel, where she has been described as a quiet presence.

"She keeps to herself," one patron said.

"Unless she works out you're a tourist, then she partakes in the great outback tradition of intimidating you and accusing you of stealing toilet paper from the public toilets in town. And also taking your gold coins off the pool table to use in the jukebox. If you go to object, there's a shire grader driver there ready to help you sit back down or have a nap."

Senior Liberal figures declined to comment on her relocation but said she had indicated a desire to return to private life.

At the time of publication, she had not issued a public statement regarding her future plans.

More to come.