'We were flying': how losing it all led Leanne Castley to politics

It was just before the global financial crisis and they were running a successful car yard business and owned their dream home.

"We were flying," Castley says.

Then, almost out of nowhere, the business collapsed.

"We lost it all and it was really difficult to recover from, marriage-wise and everything," she says.

"It was a horrible, horrible time, we lost so many friends."

Castley was one of eight new members of the Legislative Assembly to be elected at October's territory election.

The Liberal Yerrabi MLA doesn't think she fits the mould of a party politician; a country music-singing, motorbike and car enthusiast. Or as she puts it: just a chick from Charny.

But she thinks her experience running a small business and dealing with its collapse will bring a much needed real world perspective to ACT's Parliament.

"I understand small business, the courage it takes to set up a small business and run it," Castley says.

It's no secret to Castley that politicians have an image problem. But she thinks through honesty and integrity, she can win people's trust.

"I hated the idea of being called a politician and I am one now," she says.

"From an everyday person's perspective, on the street, the idea of a politician does seem very tainted.

"They're liars or they won't actually do anything to help you.

"I want to show people not all politicians are out there to get something for themselves."

The single mother of two was born in Gunnedah but grew up in Charnwood.

She's lived in Canberra since then except for a short stint in Bega after the birth of her first child.

Castley says she wasn't brought up in a political family, and many people she grew up with were surprised when she first became active in the Liberal Party.

"I think it got to a point in life where my kids had gotten older and I had become sick of complaining about things and I thought why don't I just get involved," she says.

"The Liberal Party for me is a party of people who just want to get on with it with less government and less regulation and I really align with that."

Castley - who lists her political idols as Scott Morrison and Michaelia Cash - ran as the Liberal candidate for the seat of Fenner at the 2019 federal election, but last year was her first attempt at entering territory politics.

She was elected as the second Liberal in the Gungahlin-based seat of Yerrabi, behind then-opposition leader Alistair Coe.

She outpolled the sitting Liberal James Milligan to claim her spot in the Legislative Assembly.

Castley would be considered a social conservative by many, with her opposition to abortion and euthanasia on the public record.

But she says she doesn't identify with the political labels of moderate or conservative.

"Everything has to be considered from a big picture," she says.

Away from politics, Castley likes to spend her weekends riding her motorbikes (she owns a Honda VFR and a CD 250U) and exploring nearby towns.

The country music singer is also well known in Canberra's pub scene, frequently doing gigs around the region.

She's been a performer for 25 years and doesn't plan on stopping just because she has a new job, still booking in regular gigs.

But for the moment she says she's most focused on her new role and figuring out how best to get things done for the electorate.

"It's a whole new world", she says.