Assertive women should join the Liberals: Sussan Ley slams reverse quota suggestion

Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has shot down comments by former Victorian treasurer Alan Stockdale, who claimed that Liberal women were “sufficiently assertive” that the party might need to consider reverse quotas for men.

Stockdale made the extraordinary comment on a Zoom call to the NSW Liberal Women’s Council on Tuesday night, which was set up to plead the case for the federal intervention of the troubled state division to be extended.

“ I encourage assertive women to join the Liberal Party”: Sussan Ley. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

He later issued a statement apologising and insisting he made the comment in jest, but his description of women in the Liberals has been widely condemned, including by Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie and Deputy Liberal Leader Ted O’Brien.

Former leader Peter Dutton last year appointed Stockdale, former Victorian senator Richard Alston and one-time NSW MP Peta Seaton as administrators to run the NSW division after its spectacular failure to nominate 144 candidates for the local government elections.

However, there is deep division within the party over whether their term should end on June 30, as planned, or be extended. The federal executive of the party will consider the extension of the trio’s term at a meeting on June 17.

Ley, whose leadership rival Angus Taylor is one of the key backers of the right-wing-led administration, slammed Stockdale’s comments.

Richard Alston (left) and Alan Stockdale in the online meeting.

“There is nothing wrong with being an assertive woman, in fact, I encourage assertive women to join the Liberal Party,” Ley said in a statement.

“The Liberal Party must reflect, respect and represent modern Australia and that means recognising the strength, merit and leadership of the women in our ranks.”

McKenzie also criticised Stockdale for his comments, and said she agreed with former Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who described them as “out of touch”.

“I hope women are assertive as they represent their communities, they fight for the future of their countries, and I think Annastacia and I’ll be on a unity ticket on this,” McKenzie told Nine’s Today on Thursday.

O’Brien also joined his colleagues in denouncing Stockdale’s comments.

“We need more women engaging with our party, running for our party,” O’Brien told the ABC.

“I’m proud to have Sussan Ley as our leadership. In a leadership team with Michaelia Cash and Anne Ruston, and so for the women of Australia, the Liberal Party is your party, that’s my message.”

NSW Liberal Leader Mark Speakman, who opposed the federal intervention and does not support the administrators’ term being extended, also weighed in.

“Of course we don’t need reverse quotas for men,” Speakman said.

“We have 45 per cent women on the NSW frontbench and 45 per cent of the Liberal Party room are women. I welcome the talented, strong women who have joined our parliamentary ranks in recent years”.

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