Labor’s women missing in action

Despite championing its gender balance, Labor can’t find a woman MP to challenge for the leadership.

Labour deputy leader Tanya Plibersek. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Labor’s spruiking of its record number of women in the parliament has come under question, with none of its senior female MPs willing to contest the party’s leadership ballot.

Despite its high female representation, a lack of senior female MPs in the lower house has hampered moves to push a woman to run for the opposition leader’s job after Tanya Plibersek pulled out citing “family reasons”.

There is also a chance, as leadership discussions take place behind closed doors, that a male MP could fill the role of deputy leader.

Labor is set to have the highest number of women in the 46th parliament, with at least 40 across both houses and four seats with ­female candidates still in doubt.

In the Senate, Labor women will outnumber Labor men 16 to 11, up from 14 women to 12 men after the 2016 double dissolution.

The party has championed its gender balance, with women making up 48 per cent of the federal Labor caucus after the election of Ged Kearney, which has left many MPs questioning why there is suddenly a vacuum of women willing to put their name forward.

“Commentators often talk about the Coalition’s so-called ‘woman problem’,” one member of Labor’s Left told The Australian.

“That’s not us, that’s not our story. We’ve got so many talented women, so why aren’t they willing to stick their hand up?

“It’s complicated — Tanya (Plibersek) could have won. And, yes, there are other senior women in the shadow cabinet — Linda Burney, Terri Butler, Julie Collins, Catherine King, Madeleine King, Amanda Rishworth, Michelle Rowland … but they’re not quite at the same level, they’re not ready to be leader or deputy.”

Chris Bowen flagged the possibility of two men taking over the leadership team as he launched his bid for the party’s leadership.

“Traditionally, if I won the deputy would come from the Left. I would expect that to continue,” Mr Bowen said yesterday.

“It may be Tanya Plibersek would like to continue. That would be fine with me. Maybe the party might want to — if she didn’t want to do that — move to somebody like Linda Burney or Mark Butler. But that would be entirely a matter for the caucus. I would work with whomever is elected deputy.”

If two men take on the leadership roles in the lower house, there is discussion within Labor for two women to claim the leadership ­positions in the Senate.

Penny Wong will continue as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, with Kristina Keneally and Jenny McAllister floated as contenders to replace Right faction leader Don Farrell as deputy.

Labor sources said three members of the outer shadow ministry are being discussed as potential candidates for the role of deputy if Ms Plibersek stands aside.

They are Clare O’Neil, a 38-year-old member of the Victorian Right and justice spokeswoman, 41-year-old Terri Butler, the spokeswoman for Young Australians and member of the Queensland Left, and West Australian Right member Madeleine King, 46, an assistant spokeswoman.