Former Frydenberg treasurer to lead Hilma’s Network in Victoria

A network designed to boost the number of women in the Liberal party at a grassroots level will launch in Melbourne on March 2.

Kate Prigg will be Victoria’s Hilma’s Network representative.

A former staffer to Josh Frydenberg will spearhead the Victorian branch initiative aimed at flooding the Liberal Party with women.

Hilma’s Network, established in 2022 by Charlotte Mortlock, will hold its first meeting in Melbourne on March 2 after Kate Prigg was announced as the network’s Victorian representative.

Ms Prigg, who worked with the former treasurer between 2019 and 2021, said she wanted to be involved with the organisation after seeing Ms Mortlock’s “gung ho” approach to boosting the number of women in the party at a grassroots level.

“It’s a chicken or egg situation. You can either wait for the party to evolve and subsequently join, or you can push for the change you want to see,” Ms Prigg said.

February 9 marked the 100-year anniversary of the Coalition agreement between the Liberal and National parties, Ms Prigg said. “Things need to be done differently if we want another 100.

“We want every political party performing at an optimal level. It makes for a better democracy and governance.

“The fundamental thing the Liberal Party need to do to achieve that is include women.”

It came as Peter Dutton “strongly” encouraged members of the Liberal Party’s Victorian division to preselect a woman to run in the seat of Aston, in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, after Alan Tudge said last week he would quit parliament.

Ms Mortlock backed the federal Opposition Leader’s position.

“Unequivocally, Aston should go to a woman. With the gender disparity in the House of Representatives as dire as it is, this is an opportunity to head towards equilibrium,” she said.

“It’s a chance to show that we heard the resounding sentiment from voters at the 2022 election demanding better gender ­representation.”

Since Hilma’s Network was launched in September last year, 600 people have subscribed to the it, and Ms Mortlock said she was “thrilled to see an overwhelmingly positive response” to it.

Hilma's Network founder Charlotte Mortlockr. Picture: Nikki Short

“It shows women do want to be involved with the Liberal Party,” she said.

“A good membership equals a good party. And good members don’t fall in your lap, which is why Hilma’s Network is deliberately curating events for women in their 30s - 60s.”

Ms Prigg will moderate a panel for the network’s inaugural event that will include former MP Katie Allen, director of Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce in South Australia Rilka Warbanoff, and board member of the Australian Chamber of Commerce Karyn Sobels. The discussion will focus on women’s participation in the workforce and politics, as well as what preselection “looks like” if there is an interest, Ms Prigg said.

The network is “factionless”.

“ (Hilma’s) aim is to increase female participation, but we don't want to cut anyone out who has an interest in Hilma’s or boosting representation in parliament,” Ms Prigg said. “In Victoria, our events are open to everyone. (It is) an open, beautiful space for anyone who wants to join.”

The Liberal Party suffered a bruising defeat at the federal election last year after it lost the seats of Kooyong, Goldstein, Higgins and Chisholm to teal independents and Labor.

The Coalition also had a 5.5 per cent swing against it in the state on two-party-­preferred terms.

The party also lost four seats to Labor at the Victorian state election and suffered a 0.6 per cent swing against it on two-party-­preferred terms.