Liberal Party Debates Gender Quotas Amid Election Defeat

The Liberal Party in Australia is deeply divided over how to improve female representation following a significant electoral defeat that highlighted the party's failure to represent women. Party leader Sussan Ley has committed to aggressively recruiting and supporting women, expressing openness to quotas but leaving the decision to state divisions, while senior figures like Angus Taylor and former Prime Minister John Howard oppose quotas, arguing they undermine democratic processes and individual merit. Shadow Minister Melissa McIntosh proposed gender-balanced candidate pools as a compromise, emphasizing cultural change alongside structural reforms to support women. The NSW Liberal Women's Council is actively discussing gender quotas with enforceable sunset clauses to ensure the measure is temporary and effective, supported by advocates like Senator Maria Kovacic and Berenice Walker, who stress the urgency of mandated changes. Opponents such as Tony Abbott and Angus Taylor maintain their resistance, warning quotas could subvert democracy, but growing support within the party suggests a shift toward adopting some form of gender quota or similar mechanisms over the coming election cycles. Overall, the party faces internal conflict over how to balance meritocracy with the need for greater gender parity to regain electoral competitiveness.