Right: Graph (from Parliamentary Library): Female candidates and elected members in House of Representatives by major party as percentage of total candidates and members elected, 1998–2013.
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Arguments against the Liberal Party using quotas to put more women in Parliament
1. Quotas do not result in the best qualified candidates or parliamentarians
Opponents of quota-based selection argue that it may result in female candidates and parliamentarians with less ability being selected primarily because of their gender. The concern is based on the fear that a quota system would see less qualified women put forward because the party was prevented from appointing men who were more able. Opponents of quotas argue that the best selections are made when the available candidates compete freely and all are judged solely on ability.
There is initial concern that a quota system could result in female candidates of a lower calibre who were less likely to be supported by the electorate. It is also suggested that even where women selected using a quota system were elected to parliament, they may well be less able and effective representatives. When asked, in September, 2018, about the possible impact of a quota system, Liberal senator, Eric Abetz, referred to the impact of this system on the Labor Party. He stated, 'But quotas for the sake of quotas, all I say to you with respect is, have a look at the Labor party side of the parliament and you can see what quotas do and it ain't a good look.'
Senator Abetz appears to be suggesting that many of the female parliamentarians within the Labor party do not perform well and would not be in their positions had they been subjected to free competition before their positions were filled..A similar point was made by former Liberal Cabinet minister, Amanda Vanstone, in 2013, when defending Tony Abbott's first cabinet which contained only one woman. Vanstone stressed that cabinet members had to be selected on merit, not gender, and referred disparagingly to the cabinet of the former Labor government. Ms Vanstone stated, 'It didn't help the Labor Party, which had lots of women but was hopeless. I'd rather have good government than have more women in the cabinet for the sake of it.'
Liberal federal MP, Craig Kelly, has summed up the position of many within the Liberal Party regarding merit-based selection relative to quotas. On September 26, 2018, Mr Kelly was reported as stating, 'You either believe in quotas, or you believe in selection on merit, And may the best man or woman, or transsexual, or bisexual or transgender person win the seat. That's how it should be.'
There is a related concern that quotas will not only result in less able candidates and parliamentarians, they may also result in more tunnel-visioned ones. Some critics are concerned that quotas designed to see a certain number of women elected may result in parliamentarians who see themselves as representing women rather than the electorate as a whole.
Political columnist and journalist Mungo McCallum has stated, 'When [a party] starts cultivating certain groups at the expense of others, it is inevitably seen to be exclusive rather than inclusive, and those who feel rejected will reject it in return. It is one thing to acknowledge that there are identifiable sections of society which are unfairly disadvantaged and strive to remedy the injustice; but this can't be done by privileging them above everyone else.'
2. With encouragement, experience and perseverance women can earn their place based on merit
It has been argued that women may need to be encouraged to stand for positions and that they may need to develop experience at applying for pre-selection or running for election. Once within parliament, women parliamentarians must expect to have to build up further experience before being considered for cabinet. Opponents of quotas claim that if women are encouraged to run, gain experience and persevere they will achieve success.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has stated that, rather than quotas, encouragement, mentoring and training are needed at all levels as women attempt to work their way into parliament.
Mr Morrison has indicated that he is working with the Minister for Women, Kelly O'Dwyer, on a 'practical exercise', similar to the training programs that helped a record number of Liberal women get pre-selected at the 1996 election.
Mr Morrison has stated, 'What I am focusing on with Kelly and other members of the team is to ensure that we remove the obstacles preventing women from going forward. It's a matter of supporting women throughout the pre-selection process...then when they get into parliament, ensure they're getting the support they need to do the job.'
Rather than quotas, the Liberal Party has decided on targets, considering a target of 50 per cent female representation in parliament by 2050.
In addition to guidance and support, prominent members of the Liberal Party have argued that women need determination and experience. Former Liberal Senator and House Speaker, Bronwyn Bishop, said of her own entry into parliament, 'I do remember way back when I first stood for the Senate, the first time I stood, somebody said to me, ''Mrs Bishop, NSW has never had a woman senator; why should we have one now?'' And I said, 'Because I'm the best person for the job'. They didn't choose me then but I didn't go away and whinge about it either. I just worked hard so they chose me subsequently.'
Bronwyn Bishop also noted that experience would soon see more Liberal women in Tony Abbott's cabinet after 2013. Senator Bishop stated, 'There are many talented women who are in our ranks in the Coalition and although there's only one in the cabinet there are a number on the frontbench as a whole and there are talented people on the backbench, who were fairly recently elected, who will learn more about the parliament and will earn their stripes as it were. You will find that they will come through the ranks.'
Former Liberal Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop, made a similar remark, in 2013, regarding the small number of women within the Liberal cabinet. Ms Bishop suggested that with time and experience women currently within the parliament would earn themselves a place in cabinet. She stated, 'The number of women in the ministry will build over time. Currently there are a number of capable, talented women who will be considered for cabinet in due course.'
3. Quotas are philosophically unattractive to a party ideologically in favour of competition
Core values stated within the Liberal Party platform such as individualism and the value of open competition are often put forward as reasons why the party cannot adopt quotas to increase the number of women in parliament..
The platform states, 'We believe in the innate worth of the individual, in the right to be independent, to own property and to achieve, and in the need to encourage initiative and personal responsibility.'
This emphasis on 'initiative and personal responsibility' runs counter to the idea of quotas as it suggests that individuals ought 'achieve' through individual effort. Additionally the party is one which believes in 'equality of opportunity'
rather than equal outcomes. Regarding parliamentary quotas, which are attempts to shape outcomes, Liberal supporters are likely to believe that all candidates for pre-selection and other positions within the party have an equal opportunity of success and therefore no artificial device (such as a quota) should be put in place to advantage one candidate over another.Finally, the Liberal Party believes in the value of 'competitive enterprise...and reward for effort'. This appears to be more than an economic principal. In regard to entry into parliament, it appears to suggest there should be free competition between candidates with the most able candidate receiving the reward for his or her efforts. The Liberal party, therefore, sees itself and the society within which it operates as ideally a meritocracy, where those with the most ability will rise to the top as a result of individual effort.
'Alex Dore, the president of the New South Wales Young Liberals, has explained his party's understanding of and attachment to a meritocracy. Mr Dore has stated, 'Meritocracy simply means that people succeed or fail on their merits. It means that people - regardless of gender, race or sexuality - should be considered on their skills; their aspirations; their work ethic.'
Mr Dore offered this definition as a way of explaining why the Liberal party should remain opposed to quotas.
Newspaper columnist, Miranda Devine, opened a piece attacking the possibility of quotas with the Liberal Party by asking ' Since when do conservatives [members of the Liberal party] demand equality of outcome instead of equality of opportunity?'
Quoting classic economists favoured by the Liberal Party, Devine extended her ideological attack on quotas. She stated, 'As the great free market economists Milton and Rose Friedman put it: ''A society that puts ... equality of outcome ahead of freedom will end up with neither equality nor freedom''.'
Critics of quotas within the Liberal Party have also noted that its supporters within the electorate are likely to be so philosophically opposed to quotas that they may not vote for the party if it adopts them. The results of a recent study indicate that conservative voters endorse the Liberal party's support for meritocratic or individualistic principles, a common argument used against quotas.
4. Gender quotas undermine the standing of the women pre-selected and elected through them
Opponents of quota systems argue that they leave in doubt the real ability of women who have been selected using them. It is suggested that even where quotas result in the appointment of competent women, the women's ability remains open to question because they did not gain their positions in open competition. Therefore, it is argued, rather than help to counter prejudices against women, quota systems entrench them as they suggest that women cannot gain positions without external assistance.
This point was made by Liberal senator Bronwyn Bishop in 2013 while defending the first cabinet of Tony Abbott which contained only one woman. Senator Bishop stated, 'I never want to see affirmative action - that is, you got the job because you were a woman, because that makes you a permanent second-class citizen.'
Some commentators have argued that quotas are actually an insult to women as they presume that women are unable to gain a place in parliament on ability and instead need to be given a guaranteed entry. Commentator Miranda Devine has stated, '[Women's] hackles [are] raised by the suggestion they should vote on chromosome rather than merit. Women hate being patronised.
Gender quotas damage every woman who has achieved her role on merit. They are an insult to any woman who enters parliament.'
In an opinion piece published in The New Matilda on June 6, 2013, Western Australian Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash similarly stated, 'An artificially contrived quota system which is designed to increase the number of women selected as parliamentary candidates ultimately encourages and leads to the negative and belittling statement ''she only got there because she is a woman''...
The Coalition holds the view that the appointment of women to positions for reasons other than merit and excellence could be counterproductive and work against their long term interests. It is clearly discriminatory and unfair to treat women as if they don't have the qualities to reach the top by themselves.'
Former Liberal prime minister John Howard summed up this view in a speech given on September 21, 2018. A supporter of more women within the Liberal Party and within the federal parliament, Mr Howard believes that quotas undermine women by assuming they are not independently capable of gaining pre-selection. Mr Howard stated, ' I think that whole notion of quotas is wrong. It's patronising.'
Howard had made the same point in 2002 while still prime minister. He stated, 'I think that affirmative action rules are insulting to women. I think quotas are patronising to women and most women I know who are interested in politics don't want the patronising existence of quotas. They want to get there on their own merit.'
Columnist for The Australian, Janet Albrechtsen, has criticised those female parliamentarians within the Liberal Party who are calling for quotas for women. She condemns them as breaking with Liberal Party beliefs and accepting a second rate status. She argues, 'I've always thought the big difference between the Liberal Party and the Labor Party is that women are happy to get a leg up in Labor, they're happy to be seen as second rate and needing special favours. I had assumed and hoped the liberal side of politics would not give in to that kind of sexism.'
5. Fewer women than men want a career in federal politics
It has been argued that fewer women than men want a career in federal politics and thus it is not reasonable to expect equal representation of men and women within the Liberal party.
This point was made by Liberal whip, Rowan Ramsey, in September 2018, when attempting to explain the relatively low number of women within the parliamentary Liberal Party. Mr Ramsey stated, 'It is a bit of a mystery why we don't have more women in the Parliament, because in fact we have plenty of women participating right throughout the lay party, very talented people, and maybe it is something about the workplace that is making them reluctant.'
Ramsey then explained further, 'I often think it is probably easier for people who have family to operate in a state parliament than it is to operate in the Federal Parliament'. Ramsey appears to be alluding to the difficulties of maintaining family life as a parliamentarian and especially as a federal parliamentarian.
Deputy federal Labor Leader, Tanya Pilbersek, who is a mother as well as a parliamentarian, has stated, 'Parliament is absolutely not a great working environment for anyone. The hours are long, there's a lot of time away from home; even when we're back in the electorate there's a lot of night time functions and weekends.'
It has been claimed that the difficulties Plibersek outlines are particularly acute for those with families. Some of Pilbersek's later comments indicate the strain involved one her as a wife and mother. She has stated, 'I really do feel like by doing my job I am leaving a better country for my kids to grow up in and if I didn't feel that I don't think I could stand the time away from home.' Kelly O'Dwyer, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service and Minister for Women, was the first cabinet minister to give birth while in office. Ms O'Dwyer has stated, 'I FaceTime my children every night to catch up on their day and read them a bedtime story. I also take the time, more often than not it's pretty late at night, to chat with my husband as well. It's obviously a great privilege to do this job, but obviously it does come with sacrifices.'
Some commentators noting the relatively low number of women parliamentarians in the Liberal Party have argued that the pressures on family life for parliamentarians are greatest for women and thus many women simply choose not to enter parliament.
This point has been made by commentator Miranda Devine. Devine stated, 'The bottom line is that fewer women than men view federal politics as a desirable career. Otherwise, more than 24 per cent of federal Liberal MPs would be women and the Labor Party wouldn't have to force 50 per cent representation through mandatory quotas.
If most women don't want to become federal politicians, how do you force them into a career they don't want?'
Devine explained further, 'Most women have children, which is actually necessary for the survival of our species, not an optional extra. And most women don't want to outsource their mothering to strangers...
Most mothers want to raise their own children because they feel it's the most worthwhile thing they will ever do. Raising good citizens is better for your community than being a backbencher for thirty years, or even a prime minister.'