Sussan Ley, newly elected leader of the federal Liberal Party, has pledged to increase the number of women within the party’s ranks, acknowledging a deepening gender divide that contributed to the Coalition’s landslide defeat at the recent federal election.
Speaking on the Today Show, Ley stated her intention to modernise the party and reconnect with female voters, a demographic that polling consistently showed had turned away from the Liberals in record numbers.
“When I enter Parliament as Opposition Leader, only five Liberal women will be seated behind me,” Ley said. “That’s a stark reality, and a call to action.”
Ley emphasised the need for the party to reflect modern Australia, highlighting that gender representation was integral to rebuilding trust with voters. “We must respect, reflect, and represent modern Australia – and that includes women,” she said.
The internal debate over the use of gender quotas continues to divide the party. Prominent figures like former Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Ley’s leadership rival Angus Taylor have publicly opposed quotas, arguing they conflict with the Liberal Party’s principles of merit-based selection.
But Ley appeared less focused on the mechanism than the outcome. “I’m agnostic about how we get more women – but I’m a zealot about getting it done,” she stated. She said the federal nature of the Liberal Party meant each state division could decide its own approach.
Despite opposition from traditionalists, Ley noted growing male support within the party for increasing female representation, calling them “some of our strongest advocates.”
Ley replaces Peter Dutton following the Coalition’s electoral collapse and is now the first woman to lead the Liberal Party at the federal level. Her leadership comes at a time when the party is re-evaluating its policies, image, and connection with the electorate.
Recalling her first election in 2001, Ley noted, “Back then, more women voted Liberal than for any other party. That number has been in decline ever since. We have to reverse that trend.”
