Merit supporters fight for party

A merit-based movement battling for the ‘very future of the Liberal Party’ has emerged to counter the groundswell of support for gender quotas.

Alex Dore. Picture: Britta Campion

A merit-based movement battling for the “very future of the Liberal Party” has emerged to counter the groundswell of support for gender quotas.

Penned by aspiring Warringah candidate Alex Dore, the Liberals for Merit campaign has circulated a petition online among party members, in addition to an email which declares quota motions are an “astounding betrayal of fundamental Liberal beliefs”.

“If the quota motions are successful, there will be no mainstream political party in Australia left to stand against the dehumanising instruments of collectivism. Who will remain to fight against identity politics when even the party of the individual has abandoned it?” asks Mr Dore, a member of state executive of the NSW Liberal Party.

“It is no exaggeration to say that this is a battle for the very ­future of the Liberal Party.”

In the email, Mr Dore asks state council delegates to put “Party and Country before faction” and voice their opposition to quotas, as the system would be the “ultimate disrespect to voters”, saying it would make the party less competitive and “worsen an already imperfect preselection system”.

“It cynically and incorrectly assumes that voters care more about the politics of identity than the contest of ideas,” the email said.

“We understand that while we don’t often meet these lofty ideals of meritocracy, we should always strive to select the best person for the job, regardless of gender, ethnicity and sexuality.”

The call to arms comes after a number of senior Liberals threw their support behind implementing gender quotas, including NSW Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean, Attorney-General Mark Speakman and Planning Minister Rob Stokes. While she disagreed with the Liberals for Merit campaign, Liberal Party Legislative Council member Catherine Cusack said she didn’t believe you “achieved fairness to women by being unfair to men”.

“What the factions are trying to do is hand-pick the women who are allowed into parliament, so they are indebted to them and loyal to their power structure, and in my opinion more voiceless women in parliament will not change anything,” Ms Cusack told The Australian.

Despite several public proclamations in favour of the system — a plan which The Australian revealed was considered at a Liberal Party executive meeting in 2017 — senior members of the conservative and moderate factions said gender quotas weren’t widely seen to be a credible solution.

“It’s a fake and artificial fix … what we need to be looking for is capable women outside of politics,” one Berejiklian cabinet minister told The Australian.

“Quotas aren’t the answer, they were a blunt solution to a very complex problem that involves cultural change, mentoring and women in leadership.”

The number of federal seats held by Liberal women continues to languish around 20 per cent.