Littleproud regional tour to ’rebuild trust’ among women and younger voters

Nationals leader David Littleproud will embark on a listening tour of regional Australia to “rebuild trust” among women and younger voters.

National Party leader David Littleproud. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

Nationals leader David Littleproud will embark on a listening tour of regional Australia to “rebuild trust” among women and younger voters amid concern those demographics turned away from the Coalition at the last election.

In recognition that the party’s position on some issues alienated young people and women, Mr Littleproud will seek a branding reset for the Nationals among voters in the bush by meeting constituents in NSW, Victoria and Queensland.

Mr Littleproud hopes to “bring them back” to the party, as well as encourage new members to join. He has previously ruled out the potential for quotas in his party but is committed to gender parity within party ranks.

Alongside deputy Nationals leader Perin Davey, he will visit childcare centres, aged-care homes, regional universities and schools, kicking off in Mildura in early October.

The two MPs will then visit the NSW north coast in mid-October, touring Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Lismore, followed by Queensland later in the year.

Mr Littleproud acknowledged women and younger Australians may have felt “forgotten” by the junior Coalition partner and pledged to better understand their needs.

“We’ll be there to genuinely listen, understand and rebuild trust,” he said.

“We want to understand what are some of their challenges, what incentives they need to ­either get back to work or to stay in town.

“We are creating an opportunity to learn first-hand from those who may have felt forgotten by the Nationals, particularly women and young Australians.”

Access and affordability of childcare in regional Australia will be a major focus of the tour, while also investigating discrepancies in superannuation between men and women, and regional education outcomes.

“Regional Australians face difficulty in not just paying for childcare but in finding it, so what are the practical solutions to tackle this?” Mr Littleproud said.

“There’s also a call to look at superannuation caps for women and also men who take time off from careers to have families.”

Mr Littleproud has advocated for the expansion of HECS payments introduced by the Coalition for medicine graduates who work in rural areas to other industries including aged and child care.