Despite what Alan Stockdale says, the new Opposition Leader, Sussan Ley, wants more assertive women in the Liberal Party. Photo: Brandon Capital.
The Liberals have a problem with women? You think?
Just when it seems like it couldn’t get any more Jurassic, the party rolls out another dinosaur.
Former Liberal Party federal president Alan Stockdale did conservatives proud this week when he suggested women might be a little too assertive in the party.
He’s 80, so maybe we should excuse him … but let’s not.
Mr Stockdale, besides running the show federally between 2008 and 2014, is also a former Victorian treasurer and currently one of three external administrators running the troubled NSW Division of the party.
He’s been around. He knows his stuff. He’s even an AO.
He brought all that cred to the table on Tuesday (3 May) when he joined a Zoom meeting of the NSW Liberal Women’s Council (of all things).
When that meeting’s discussion turned to female representation in the party and the possibility of introducing gender quotas, this was his contribution.
“I think women are sufficiently assertive now that we should be giving some thought to whether we need to protect men’s involvement.”
Say what?
The comments were immediately shared with media outlets by shocked attendees at the meeting.
The controversy caused Mr Stockdale to issue a statement saying he was only joking and regretted that anyone felt disrespected by it, as that was not his intention.
Joke or not, it reveals an underlying sentiment still pervading some dark Coalition corners.
The recent federal election proved the Liberal Party has a problem with women voters.
Its anti-work-from-home stance was perhaps the most telling of the policies rejected at the polls.
Now, it seems, there’s even a problem with women inside the party – especially those daring to be assertive.
New Opposition Leader Sussan Ley (the best thing the Liberals have done in a long time) was quick to put Stockdale in his place.
“There is nothing wrong with being an assertive woman; in fact, I encourage assertive women to join the Liberal Party,” she said in a statement.
“The Liberal Party must reflect, respect and represent modern Australia, and that means recognising the strength, merit and leadership of the women in our ranks.”
Former president of the NSW Liberal Women’s Council, Jacqui Munro, who is also a NSW MP, described Mr Stockdale’s comments as “deeply unhelpful” in the context of reviewing the party’s devastating federal election loss.
“It’s pretty disappointing and not very funny, if he was trying to make a joke,” she said.
“This idea that it’s a joke or in poor taste is just unbelievable at a time like this.
“We need leaders in the party that are focused on actually delivering for the people we want to support, and that is, particularly, women.
“That’s what we’ve got to be focused on, not making poor taste jokes about how women are too assertive. It’s just bizarre.”
NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman also rejected the comments.
“I want more assertive women, not fewer assertive women in the Liberal Party,” he told ABC Radio on Thursday.
The episode has also allowed Anthony Albanese to further bask in Labor’s thumping election victory.
The Prime Minister suggested Australians would be aghast at Mr Stockdale’s comments.
The PM also noted the stark differences between Labor and the Coalition regarding gender representation.
“I think people will just shake their heads,” Mr Albanese said.
“There are more women in the Labor caucus, in the House of Representatives, whose first name begins in A — literally — than there are Liberal and National women on the floor of the House. That says it all.
“I think that the Liberal Party needs to have a good look at themselves and their structures, and it’ll be interesting to watch what goes on with this restructuring of the NSW branch, with two of the three of them being Victorians.”
The response of the week, however, goes to Nationals frontbencher Bridget McKenzie – a very assertive Coalition woman, and more power to her.
“Honestly, Alan, read the room,” Senator McKenzie told Nine’s Today Show.
“I hope women are assertive as they represent their communities. It was a shocking comment.
“I think it’s time for Alan to head back to the Melbourne Club, have a stiff whisky and chat with the old boys about what went wrong.”
Original Article published by Chris Johnson on Region Canberra.
