Shadow defence minister Angus Taylor says imposing quotas for women in Liberal Party preselections would subvert democracy. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Right-wing Liberal frontbencher Angus Taylor has publicly disagreed with party leader Sussan Ley over quotas for women in Federal Parliament, saying they subvert democratic processes.
His comments have raised questions over his loyalty to the leader and also his own future leadership ambitions.
They have also allowed the Federal Government to point out that the Coalition applies quotas over frontbench positions, but not quotas for women.
In her address to the National Press Club last week, Ms Ley signalled she was open for quotas to be introduced if that meant more women would get preselected to contest seats for the Liberals at the next election.
“Our Party must preselect more women in winnable seats so that we see more Liberal women in Federal Parliament,” the Opposition Leader said on Wednesday (25 June).
“Now, I’m agnostic on specific methods to make it happen, but I am a zealot that it does actually happen.
“Current approaches have clearly not worked, so I am open to any approach that will.
“The Liberal Party operates as a federated model, meaning each state division determines its own preselection rules.
“If some state divisions choose to implement quotas, that is fine. If others don’t, that is also fine. But what is not fine is not having enough women.
“As the first woman leader of our federal party, let me send the clearest possible message – we need to do better, recruit better, retain better and support better.”
Barely two days later, Mr Taylor was making clear he was against quotas for women.
“I’m not a supporter of quotas,” Mr Taylor said in one interview.
“As Sussan said, this is going to be a matter for state divisions. It’s not something that I think is necessary in order to get the outcome.
“I think attracting, mentoring, retaining great people and great women in the party is incredibly important work for absolutely everybody, for all leaders.”
In another interview, Mr Taylor – who unsuccessfully opposed Ms Ley for the party’s leadership following the May election – was even stronger in views about quotas for women.
“I believe in democratic processes, and I don’t believe in subverting them …,” he said.
“The Labor Party will do things their own way. And they do subvert democracy and that’s a matter for them.
“At the end of the day, if you’re going to have quotas, it means you are going to subvert democratic processes.”
“I think there are better ways of achieving this …
“Mentoring, recruitment, support is the way to make sure you have talented people.
“We absolutely need more women in the party at every level, whether it’s members of our branches, whether it’s on our executives, whether indeed it is as members of parliament and I think there’s a huge job for us.
“I have never been a supporter of quotas.”
Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek, however, used her interview on the ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday to point out a contradiction in the Coalition’s attitude towards quotas.
“Well, the Liberal Party do support quotas. They’ve got a quota of National Party MPs that have to be on the front bench,” the Minister said.
“So, they’re happy to have quotas for National Party MPs. It’s just quotas for women that they’re not prepared to use …
“The Labor Party and the Liberals in 1994 had around 14 per cent female representation in the Federal Parliament.
“We’re at 56 per cent now. They’re still around 30 per cent and it’s because they refused to take it seriously.
“You know, they’ve got a target. They’ve got a 50 per cent target, they introduced it in 2016.
“They’ve done nothing to deliver.”
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley says current approaches to preselecting more women to the Liberal Party have not worked. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Returning to Ms Ley’s press club speech, it’s clear the new Opposition Leader’s priority is making the party more appealing to women.
It needs to do so, she says, if it is to recover from its recent crushing defeat at the polls.
“In times of crisis, there is always talk of returning to our foundations, often in the context of Sir Robert Menzies,” Ms Ley said.
“The party Menzies founded was not only for women, it was built by them.
“It was women’s groups, women’s voices, and women’s energy that helped shape the Liberal Party.
“The Australian Women’s National League, as well as many other prominent women’s organisations, were central to the formation of our party.
“We must be a Liberal Party that is proudly for women and made up of women.”
