AUTHOR: Katina Curtis Alexandra Smith SECTION: GENERAL NEWS ARTICLE TYPE: NEWS ITEM AUDIENCE : 74,348 PAGE: 1 PRINTED SIZE: 481.00cm² REGION: NSW MARKET: Australia ASR: AUD 34,998 WORDS: 864 ITEM ID: 1417072824

24 MAR, 2021 Shocked Liberals shift on quotas

Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney Page 1 of 2 Shocked Liberals shift on quotas

Katina Curtis, dent of the NSW Liberals, NSW grandmothers did,’’ Mr Morrison Alexandra Smith MP Catherine Cusack, said Mr said yesterday. ‘‘We have been Morrison had no understanding of talking about it in this place for a The Liberal Party’s long-held res- how diabolical political life had be- Continued Page 8 istance to quotas to ensure women come for women, and said she was are elected is shifting after Prime so appalled with her party’s treat- Minister Scott Morrison said he is ment of women that she would no open to the idea and senior women longer attend parliamentary party frontbenchers said it was time they room meetings. were introduced. ‘‘Federal Liberal women need to A hunt is also on for Coalition band together and explain to the staffers involved in sharing videos Prime Minister just how serious of lewd acts performed in Parlia- ment House, with the government this has become because he is liv- promising they will be sacked once ing in his own bubble,’’ Ms Cusack they are found. Mr Morrison gave said. ‘‘He appears to think this is emotional speeches in public and just a political problem, but it is to the Coalition party room yester- really a big moment in time and day about the ‘‘absolutely shame- female Liberals need to tell him it is ful’’ explicit videos, and the treat- not the responsibility of women to ment of women more generally. solve this problem.’’ The Coalition government has In an earlier press conference, been reeling from a series of sexual Mr Morrison had addressed some assault accusations, including for- of the recent events. mer staffer Brittany Higgins al- ‘‘These events have triggered, leging she was raped by a colleague right across this building, and in- in Parliament House and the revel- deed right across the country, wo- ation a staffer filmed himself mas- men who have put up with this rub- turbating over a female MP’s desk. bish and this crap for their entire Last night, the first female presi- lives, as their mothers did, as their

Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence. AUTHOR: Katina Curtis Alexandra Smith SECTION: GENERAL NEWS ARTICLE TYPE: NEWS ITEM AUDIENCE : 74,348 PAGE: 1 PRINTED SIZE: 481.00cm² REGION: NSW MARKET: Australia ASR: AUD 34,998 WORDS: 864 ITEM ID: 1417072824

24 MAR, 2021 Shocked Liberals shift on quotas

Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney Page 2 of 2

Morrison and Liberal MPs shift on quotas for women From Page 1

month, they have been living with disadvantage to women because it for their entire lives.’’ they would be perceived as only ranks. Attorney-General Christian getting promoted, only getting a Half of the new federal MPs job because they were a number,’’ Porter is also on leave after he elected in 2019 were women. ‘‘Pro- vehemently denied historical alleg- she said. Ms Ley said that right now she gress has been made. However, ations he raped a 16-year-old girl much more needs to be done,’’ a when he was a teenager at a was ‘‘for the outcome more than the mechanism’’ but she had called for party spokesman said. Sydney debating competition. Mr Morrison acknowledged Mr Morrison also opened the way a debate on quotas for some time. ‘‘We need more women believ- many people had not liked or appre- to stand Mr Porter aside. The Prime ciated his own personal responses Minister has taken advice from the ing they can run for politics and knowing they will be supported in to the allegations of sexual assault solicitor-general and is now talking and harassment, and the tens of it through with his own department doing so,’’ she said. Senator Payne, the Minister for thousands of women who rallied ‘‘about how that sits with ministerial around the country in the March 4 standards’’ and intends to make Women, said there were ‘‘signific- ant frustrations’’ in encouraging Justice last week. ‘‘further decisions’’ about the West He has come under fire first for Australian MP’s future. more Liberal women into Parlia- ment and the party should take a saying his wife Jenny had told him to The Prime Minister said he was think about Ms Higgins as if she was 1HERSD1 A008 ‘‘good, hard look’’ at quotas ‘‘be- ‘‘very open’’ to the idea of quotas cause clearly, there are ongoing is- one of his daughters, and for making for female MPs. Labor introduced remarks in Parliament that were in- quotas for women candidates in sues that mean in parts of our or- terpreted as saying women should winnable seats in the 1990s, lead- ganisation, we have not been able be grateful they were not shot for ing to almost half the federal cau- to achieve the outcomes we want’’. protesting. cus being female, compared with Liberal backbencher Katie Allen just one-quarter of the Coalition. said she was open to quotas if they Ministers Marise Payne, Karen helped get more women ‘‘in the Andrews, Sussan Ley and Melissa decision-making room’’ and Senat- Price spoke out in support of the or Hollie Hughes said everything measure with several other Liberal should be back on the table. MPs as the party searches for ways However, other female MPs in- to recruit more women into Parlia- cluding Fiona Martin and Nicolle ment in a bid to change its culture. Flint believe reportable targets are Ms Andrews is one of those a better option than quotas. ‘‘I changing her mind, saying the didn’t come to Canberra to fill a work done so far ‘‘hasn’t had the quota,’’ Dr Martin said. success that it’s needed so far’’. The Liberal Party’s federal exec- ‘‘I’ve always been quite anti- utive has backed some measures to quotas because I felt that it was a increase the number of women its

Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.