Leanne Castley is a former ACT opposition leader who says she’s had enough of the “toxic culture” and that the “undermining” started as soon as she was elected to lead the party in 2024.
Today, she announced she’s quitting the party to sit as an independent on the crossbench.
And she said the recent introduction of cocervice control legislation in the ACT — which she celebrated on social media just last week — confirmed her perspective that she should move distraction to get on with the job.
“When the coercive control legislation came in, I thought to myself, this is the reason I’m in politics. It is to make great changes,” she told Canberra radio this morning.
“I’m not a career politician. I’m someone who wanted to get in and make a change.”
Earlier in a statement, Castley said: “I have simply had enough of being part of an organisation with such a toxic culture.”
“In the last 18 months, I have experienced bullying, intimidation, lies, and even a threat of physical assault. I can no longer be part of an organisation that tolerates this conduct.”
Castley’s time in leadership was short-lived, taking on the role after the party’s 2024 election loss by stepping down in November following her move to suspend two colleagues from the party room.
But she told 666 ABC Canberra today that the “constant undermining” has been occurring for 18 months and that it’s not any one person or single issue but rather a full “campaign”.
She said at some point she had to put a line in the sand and walk away. “It’s distracting and it takes us away from the job that we’re elected to do, and I want that focus back,” she said.
“The people of Yerrabi deserve my full focus.”
When questioned whether she’d join One Nation, she said she is “moving forward as an independent member for Yerrabi with the same Liberal values”.
Castley declined to name names but said she is still considering police action over a physical threat and has already referred the matter to the party.
Current ACT Liberal leader Mark Parton told ABC Radio that he doesn’t believe the party has a toxic culture, but that it is addressing concerns about bullying.