Liberals re-examine gender quotas in slew of proposals to make party ‘fit-for-purpose political machine’

The Liberal Party is exploring significant reforms, including the potential implementation of gender quotas, to boost the number of women in its parliamentary ranks. This move is seen as critical for the party's long-term viability and relevance.

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We hold few seats in urban areas, core demographics continue to turn away from us without looking back, our membership is ageing, and campaign resources are stretched.

A new discussion paper from the Liberal Party Commission, an internal review group, outlines various interventions aimed at revitalizing the party. These include addressing an ageing membership base, selecting more competitive candidates, improving engagement with multicultural communities and young people, and strengthening internal structures and campaign strategies. The paper acknowledges that the party struggles to connect with core demographics and holds few seats in urban areas.

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Our core question is: how do we make the Liberal Party a fit-for-purpose political machine in the 21st century?

Senator James McGrath, chair of the commission, stated that the party's core question is how to transform the Liberal Party into a "fit-for-purpose political machine in the 21st century." The paper notes that only 33% of Liberal parliamentarians are women, with men outnumbering women four-to-one in the lower house. "If the Liberal Party is to survive in the long term, this must change urgently," the paper warns.

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If the Liberal Party is to survive in the long term, this must change urgently.

Despite past resistance to measures like gender quotas, the discussion paper suggests new approaches are necessary for "serious progress." It presents six options, including gender quotas, US-style "open primaries," a UK Conservative "A-list" model, bonus weighting for female candidates, and mandating a minimum number of women in preselection ballots. The paper argues that if the party desires a different outcome, it must be prepared to adopt different methods, even if they are complicated and face resistance.

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None of them would be easy or without complication or resistance from some. However, if we want a different outcome, we need to be prepared to do things differently.