Sussan Ley taps former British PM Theresa May for tips on tackling Libs’ women problem

Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley has met former British PM Theresa May in an attempt to address the party’s women problem that led to female voters abandoning the Coalition.

Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley. Picture: Matt Turner

Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley has met former British prime minister Theresa May and held roundtables across the country in an attempt to address the party’s women problem that led to female voters abandoning the Coalition in favour of independents.

While the party attracted more than half of the female vote in the Menzies era, fewer than 30 per cent of women now vote Liberal. The drop in voters, along with the decline in female representation within the party, which dived to just 28 per cent after the election loss, has rekindled debate over quotas and an overhaul to pre­selection processes.

As the Coalition undertakes a review of its loss of the election, conducted by Victorian senator Jane Hume, Ms Ley has embarked on a “listening tour” to try to find ways to reverse the wave of women turning away from the Liberals. She has so far held talks in regional Victoria, Perth, southern Sydney and the Gold Coast, and would hold “many more” over coming months.

Ms Ley, who has long been in favour of quotas, told The Australian that as part of the process, she was looking at models implemented overseas that had helped conservative parties connect with women. She raised the possibility of importing policies from Britain and the US. “I have met with former UK prime minister Theresa May and discussed their model and I remain impressed by the success of their approach,” she said. “To see a strong woman like Elizabeth Truss rise to lead one of the most powerful nations on the global stage is an example for young women across the world and for women here in Australia.”

Ms Truss is the third woman to be elected as British prime minister, following Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s and Mrs May, who held office in 2016-19.

“A wide variety of international examples that have worked exist, and should be considered,” Ms Ley said.

“The Tory model has certainly delivered laudable results.”

Liberal MPs including West Australian Andrew Hastie and South Australian senator Simon Birmingham have also raised the possibility of following the UK example and former British prime minister David Cameron’s “A-list model”.

The A-list, or priority list, founded by Mr Cameron in 2006, consisted of a list of candidates drawn up by the Conservative Party that included a significant number of people from minority groups to boost diversity in the party. Ms Ley raised the possibility of drawing inspiration from the US Republicans, who launched a political action committee this year to reverse stereotypes and ­attract minority candidates.

It follows grassroots initiatives from within the Liberals to boost the number of women in the party, such as the launch of the Hilma Network by Charlotte Mortlock and Alex Schuman this year. Liberal parliamentarians such as WA’s Linda Reynolds have called for greater systemic change.