Sussan Ley has resigned as Minister for Health and Aged Care, citing “ongoing intense media speculation” as a distraction from the government's agenda.

Ms Ley, who precipitated an ongoing bout of media and public outrage about politicians' travel expenses and other entitlements when it was revealed she had bought an investment property while on taxpayer-funded official business, said she was confident that she had followed the rules, “not just regarding entitlements but most importantly the ministerial code of conduct”.