Speaking at the National Press Club on Wednesday, Sussan Ley was upfront about the Liberal party’s desperate need to get women preselected, and improve their overall standing with women voters.
She declared that the party’s actions on elevating women have been “unacceptable” and things must be “different” going forward.
But when asked why things would be any different this time, given others in her position have also declared a commitment to change, Ley highlighted the fact she’s the first woman to lead the Liberal party, “And I don’t believe anyone in my position has had the resolve I have right now. So watch this space.”
While Ley would not rule out quotas to improve women’s representation in the party, she also didn’t publicly back them. Rather, she declared herself “agnostic” about the approach and said that she believes state branches are ready and willing to address the issue.
Ley’s first address to the National Press Club saw her outlining her personal story of working, studying, and raising a family, including the self-doubt and sexism she experienced, especially while training to become a pilot.
From there, she was brutally honest about the extent of the party’s loss at the May election.
“We didn’t just lose. We got smashed. Totally smashed,” she said.
“What we as the Liberal party presented was comprehensively rejected. The scale of that defeat, its size and significance, was not lost on me or any one of our parliamentary colleagues sitting here today.”
Going forward, Ley spoke about some of the Liberal party’s priorities, including continuing the Coalition’s call to raise defence spending to three per cent of GDP. On energy policy, she said a “working group” had been appointed to declare their future position, including their approach to emissions reduction. She spoke extensively about national security, but did not discuss climate change.
She also outlined a need to move fast on addressing domestic and family violence in Australia and noted she identifies with some of the stories she’s heard from women.
“I want the women of Australia to hear me when I say I understand the fear you feel when you go for a walk alone, because I have felt that fear. I understand the pain of coercion and control, because I have felt that too. I understand when you blame yourself for the actions of others, because I have blamed myself too,” she said.
“We need stronger partnerships, greater resources and absolute resolve. We need men’s groups to stand up because men’s health policy is women’s safety policy.”
While there is huge work ahead for Ley, the Liberal party and the Coalition, Ley seems determined to leverage her position as the first woman to lead the party to pitch to the women of Australia.
She presented herself as someone very different to her predecessor. She began by acknowledging the traditional owners, shared her personal experiences navigating care and work, pushed for more women’s representation, and was brutally honest about the extent of the Liberal party’s loss.
But Ley’s survival in the job is precarious, given she only narrowly won the leadership ballot, and some of those who voted for her will soon be leaving the party room. What matters now is whether the men of the Coalition heard her pleas, and if they’ll have the commonsense to fully support her success and longevity as leader of the Opposition, and the person to take them to the next election.