Nationals women MPs defy ‘blokey’ party image

The Nationals bolster their female numbers, with a record six women preparing to enter federal parliament.

Michelle Landry, Anne Webster, Bridget McKenzie, Sam McMahon, Susan McDonald and Perin Davey give the Nationals record female numbers in Canberra. Picture: Adam Taylor

A new look Nationals party has significantly bolstered its female representation, with a record six women preparing to enter federal parliament in a result Bridget McKenzie said “exploded” myths about the blokey junior Coalition partner.

The tripling of female MPs from two to a likely six comes months after senior Nationals were appealing to women in rural and regional areas to stick with the party as it recovered from the Andrew Broad “sugar baby” scandal.

Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce’s affair with his staffer, who is pregnant with their second child, was also thought to have damaged the party’s brand, although Mr Joyce has gained a 22 per cent swing in his seat of New England compared with the 2016 election.

Anne Webster, who has replaced Mr Broad in the Victorian seat of Mallee, and senators-elect Sam McMahon in the Northern Territory and Susan McDonald in Queensland will join Senator McKenzie and Queensland MP Mich­elle Landry in the Nationals partyroom.

NSW Nationals candidate Perin Davey is also on track to pick up the Coalition’s third Senate seat in the state, in another surprise outcome.

“This whole myth it’s only these Left, independent females that want to represent their community, I mean, hello? Here we are and there’s not a lefty amongst us,” Senator McKenzie told The Australian yesterday as the six women met in Parliament House for the first time.

“We keep exploding the myths.”

Ms Landry, who as of late yesterday had gained an 11 per cent swing against Labor in her very marginal seat of Capricornia, said the Nationals partyroom would be different with four more women in its ranks.

If Ms Davey is successful in the Senate, 29 per cent of the Nationals’ 21 MPs will be women.

“Bridget and I have probably spent a lot of time on the phone together and all the rest of it over the last couple of years. It’ll be great to have some more ladies on board,” Ms Landry said.

“Women offer a different perspective to what the men do, it might soften our image a bit to have more females there. Mind you, we’re all pretty tough so it won’t soften it so much.”

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, who along with Senator McKenzie was unanimously endorsed by his colleagues to keep his leadership role yesterday, insisted he had gone out of his way to ensure women felt comfortable and a part of the ­Nationals.

“We needed to diversify, we did. We needed to make sure we had more female representation in our party ranks, we have,” the Nationals leader said.

“It debunks all the theories that were being espoused last year. These women have got there on merit, these women have got there without quotas, these women have got there because they deserve a place in parliament and they are going to make a remarkable difference to our party, to the parliament and to the nation.”

Senator McKenzie attributed the turnaround in female representation to branch members in the party organisation actively seeking out women to run in seats.

Ms McMahon, who owns veterinary practices across the Northern Territory, said a couple of her local branch members tapped her on the shoulder when former indigenous affairs minister and NT senator Nigel Scullion announced he would not contest the election.