The Liberal leader, Angus Taylor, has rejected a proposal for the party to consider introducing gender quotas, despite a discussion paper suggesting it among several ideas to refresh the party's base and improve structures. The paper, from the internal Liberal Party Commission group led by Queensland senator James McGrath, was circulated to supporters on Wednesday.
Taylor's stance and deputy's intervention
Taylor stated on Thursday, "I've never supported any quotas at all, but what I do support is more great people joining the Liberal party and more great people, women and from all sorts of backgrounds." However, his deputy, Jane Hume, quickly intervened, leaving the door open: "This is a draft report. It's up for discussion right now, and we'll consider all of the options that are put out there."
Anne Ruston calls for urgency
Shadow cabinet minister Anne Ruston went further, calling for the party to act with "urgency." She told Guardian Australia, "Every review is only as good as what gets implemented afterwards … we're at a critical juncture so listening isn't enough. We need to act on what we're hearing, with urgency." Ruston had earlier told Sky News that the status quo was not working, noting the low number of female Liberal MPs in the House of Representatives. She argued, "If you're going to have a discussion paper like this being put out, you can't start off on day one ruling things in and ruling things out, everything should be on the table."
Internal skepticism and calls for broader focus
Others in the party downplayed the significance of McGrath's review, which was commissioned by former Liberal leader Sussan Ley. Several Liberals questioned the need for another review, calling it "ridiculous" and noting that politics has moved on since the 2025 election. One Liberal said the review would go nowhere and make the same recommendations as previous efforts.
Former Liberal MP Jason Falinski, who lost his Sydney northern beaches seat in 2022, said the review should include ideas on winning back young men. He cited the approach of Republicans like Ron DeSantis, who have gained votes among younger men by championing merit and competency selections.
