Liberal party floats gender quotas to boost number of women in parliament
THE NSW Liberal Party is discussing enforcing gender quotas to boost the number of women in parliament and in senior party positions.
NSW
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THE NSW Liberal Party is discussing enforcing gender quotas to boost the number of women in parliament and in senior party positions.
A fiery debate erupted at the NSW Liberal Party State Executive meeting on Friday night about introducing gender quotas of 40 per cent for women.
NSW Liberal Party acting president Kent Johns is understood to have told the meeting he planned to present options to boost the number of women in local, state and federal parliament at the next meeting of State Executive, on October 27 in Newcastle.
Four sources present at Friday night’s meeting in Sydney told The Daily Telegraph Mr Johns indicated gender quotas at local, state and federal preselections would be one of the options he planned to canvas at the next meeting, when he would present a report on the dire lack of women in the Liberal Party from the Federal Executive.
Another option Mr Johns raised was introducing a loading of 20 per cent for women during preselections, in a similar system to the Labor Party.
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Mr Johns told State Executive he had already canvassed the issue of gender quotas with Federal Liberal Party President Nick Greiner, who is determined to see more women hold senior positions during his tenure.
However, Mr Greiner has publicly distanced himself from the notion of gender quotas, describing them as “insulting.”
“Johns said if we can’t boost female numbers then we are going to have to look at mandating or having a quota of 40 per cent that must be set,” one source present at state executive said.
“He also used another suggestion of having a loading of 20 per cent in preselections, where women get a 20 per cent extra votes.”
The recommendations will then be taken to the Liberal Party state council on November 9, where it will be voted on by more than 600 members.
After Mr Johns’ comments, outgoing Young Liberal President Alex Dore tried to move a motion to reiterate the Liberal Party’s opposition to gender quotas.
Indicative of where the Liberal Party is moving on the issue, Mr Dore was shouted down by two female members of State Executive, Hollie Hughes and Women’s Council President Chantelle Fornari-Osmond.
During the debate that ensued, Mr Dore is understood to have called Mrs Hughes a “bully” while she accused him of expecting a women to sit at home cooking meals.
At the end of the meting, Mrs Hughes made a show of picking up dinner plates and commenting that she was being a typical woman.
Pru Goward’s daughter, Penny Fischer, along with Anthony Robert’s senior adviser Nathanial Smith supported Mr Dore’s failed motion to oppose gender quotas.