‘Load of crock’: Coalition MP Terry Young slammed for ‘antiquated’ gender views

As the Coalition debates adopting gender quotas, one of its MPs has declared women are "wired" for caring roles rather than trades or STEM careers.

MP Terry Young has come under fire. Photo: Steve Pohlner

A Coalition MP has declared quotas are a ridiculous practice that create more problems than they solve.

In comments that attracted the government’s attention, Queenslander Terry Young told parliament on Tuesday he “simply cannot understand why we cannot accept that men and women have vocations that the majority of each gender is drawn to”.

“Men tend to be more drawn to vocations that involve maths, physical exertion like construction and trades. Women in the main tend to be drawn to careers that involve women and care and other people – vocations like hairdressers, nursing, social workers and the like will always be more female-dominated,” he said.

He went on to say that “we need to ensure those who aren’t wired this way from the opposite sex have the same opportunity as everyone else”.

Acting Minister for Women, Catherine King MP. Pic: Roy VanDerVegt

“Quotas say women or Indigenous people or any other cohort are not good enough to get a position on merit, so we create a quota for them … This is insulting to those people. It should always be based on merit,” he said.

Catherine King, acting as the minister for women in Question Time, said Mr Young’s comments were antiquated and “a load of crock”.

“This is exactly the attitude that the Member for Longman has that keeps wages for women low, stops them from putting their hand up to earn a trade, or work in STEM, or represent their communities in this place,” she said.

“Those opposite simply do not get it … (they) are living decades in the past.

“First, it is net zero and now it is your attitudes towards women. Well, I am here to tell them – it is 2025. Climate change is real, and gender equality is a very good thing for this country.”

In the wake of the Coalition’s electoral thumping, the question of gender quotas has re-emerged. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said last month she would consider gender quotas if the party’s state division felt them necessary. Her leadership rival Angus Taylor rebuked the idea.

Originally published as ‘Load of crock’: Coalition MP Terry Young slammed for ‘antiquated’ gender views