Theresa May to visit Melbourne to discuss boosting opportunities for women in politics

The Victorian Liberal Party has invited Theresa May to hold a series of talks about boosting opportunities for women in business and politics.

Former British Prime Minister Theresa May has locked in a trip to Melbourne, marking her first visit to Australia.

Tickets to hear former British prime minister Theresa May speak are being sold for $1000 each.

In a move that has been dubbed “greedy” by some Liberals, members have been invited to attend a dinner at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

An invitation to all state based Liberal Party members has spruiked the gala dinner, on Saturday February 12, as a “unique and special opportunity”.

Mrs May will travel to Melbourne next week at the invitation of the Victorian Liberal Party to hold a series of talks about boosting opportunities for women in business and politics.

It is expected Mrs May will visit parts of regional Victoria during a brief five-day visit before heading to Sydney.

It is not yet clear whether or not the former PM will have time to visit Canberra.

Former British Prime Minister Theresa May will hold a series of talks in Victoria. Picture: AFP

Sources familiar with the visit said Mrs May would take the opportunity to visit some of Melbourne’s iconic landmarks.

She will also be involved in some charitable projects while here.

But she has ruled out media opportunities and has requested that talks she gives are not filmed.

“She is not going to be commenting on local politics or affairs, this is all about promoting opportunities for women in politics and business,” he said.

The former PM was behind a stunning push to increase the number of women in the UK’s Conservative Party when she co-founded the Women2Win program in 2005.

At the time there were just 17 Conservative women MPs, representing less than one in 10 members of the parliamentary party.

Theresa May was behind a push to get more female MPs. Picture: AFP

By 2020 that number had increased to 87, with female representation growing to one in five MPs.

Victorian Liberals behind the push to bring Mrs May to Melbourne hope she can help the party replicate the success here, where seven of the party’s 31 state MPs are women.

Plans to bring Mrs May to Melbourne last year were derailed by Covid restrictions.

While an itinerary is still being finalised, Mrs May has been announced as the guest of honour at a Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry lunch next Friday.

She will give a keynote presentation before taking part in a Q&A session.