WA Liberal leader Basil Zempilas says he is prepared to consider 50:50 gender quotas for candidate preselection as part of a broader effort to address the party’s lack of female representation.
“It is very clear, it is impossible to dispute, we do not have enough women who are part of the WA Liberal Party team,” Zempilas told the ABC, admitting the issue is as pressing in WA as it is federally.
Zempilas said he is “looking at everything” to improve gender balance, acknowledging quotas have been traditionally viewed as “un-Liberal like” but insisting, “everything has to be on the table.”
“I want to see more female candidates, and I want to see more women elected into the parliamentary Liberal Party,” he said, adding, “I would like to lead a Liberal Party in the Parliament of Western Australia that is as close to, or perhaps even past, a 50:50 gender split.”
Zempilas also acknowledged ongoing efforts within the WA Liberals to identify and support female candidates through mentoring, fundraising, and preselection assistance — initiatives developed in response to the party’s 2021 state election review.
His comments follow criticism from senior party figures, including retiring Senator Linda Reynolds and former MP Ken Wyatt, who both say the party has long failed to act on gender equity despite past reviews and recommendations.
Reynolds described the party’s recent federal election result as a “comprehensive failure,” while Wyatt urged the Liberals to “wake up” and become more inclusive.
Source: ABC.
