Women miss out as Victoria’s Young Liberals select executive committee

A Young Liberals Movement in Victoria has been criticised for electing just four women to executive positions after bruising losses in state and federal elections.

Women were only selected for dedicated female roles and missed out on other positions when the Young Liberals in Victoria elected their new executive committee. Pictured: Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

Less than one third of a freshly elected Young Liberals executive committee in Victoria are women.

Just four were selected compared with 10 men to fill 14 positions in the Victorian branch.

According to an email sent to members from the party’s acting director in Victoria, Felicity Redfern, women were only selected for dedicated female roles.

The email, seen by The Australian, listed the results from the Young Liberal Movement annual general meeting held on Saturday February 18, which stated the position of: “Vice President (Female)” was secured by a woman.

But the only other three roles on the executive won by women were: “general executive (female)”.

Two men were elected as president and a second vice president, while a further three men were chosen to fill the general executive roles dedicated to men.

All five delegates to the federal council, positions which according to the email could be won by people of any gender, are men.

Founder of Hilma’s Network Charlotte Mortlock, whose group is dedicated to boosting the number of young women joining the party’s rank and file membership, said “51 per cent of the population is female”.

“The Liberal Party should be striving for that in our membership and leadership positions,” she said.

“Setting a precedent for representation at a Young Liberals level is vital for the party’s future.”

The news comes off the back of a bruising state election loss in November last year which saw the party land 19 seats, two less than at the previous election.

It also follows federal Liberal Senator Jane Hume and ­former federal director Brian Loughnane’s damning review of the party’s national performance at the 2022 election, which found professional female ­voters had deserted the party for teal candidates.

The review recommended the federal executive adopt a target of 50 per cent female representation in parliament within 10 years or three terms and that state executives should establish a target of 50 per cent female membership and leadership roles.

Most recently, Peter Dutton publicly declared he wanted a female candidate to be preselected to run in Melbourne’s marginal outer-eastern suburban seat of Aston.

Before career barrister Roshena Campbell was chosen this week, the leader of the opposition said: “We have some incredible women who have expressed interest in being our Aston candidate and I would strongly and respectfully encourage our Victorian members to get behind one of those candidates.”

Ms Redfern has been contacted for comment.