Liberals enter their Sussan Ley era as leader vows to be a ‘zealot’ in recruiting women

Sussan Ley plans to be a “zealot” about getting more women to run for the Liberals, but the party’s first female leader won’t be able to dictate to its State branches how it should do that.

The Opposition Leader used her first National Press Club address in the role to set herself apart from predecessor Peter Dutton — although she didn’t overtly criticise him — both in style and substance.

“This is a different era. I have a different tone, a different team, and I have different priorities,” she said.

Ms Ley announced shadow minister James McGrath will lead work on a review into the party’s “existential issues.”

It will have a broader and deeper remit than the election campaign post mortem being done by party elders Pru Goward and Nick Minchin.

But before either of those have reported, Ms Ley made it clear she wants to preside over a party that brings more women into the fold: as voters, members and elected representatives.

“The party Menzies founded was not only for women, it was built by them,” she said. “We must be a Liberal Party that is proudly for women and made up of women.

“Our party must preselect more women in winnable seats so that we see more Liberal women in Federal Parliament.

“Now, I’m agnostic on specific methods to make it happen, but I am a zealot that it does actually happen. Current approaches have clearly not worked, so I am open to any approach that will.”

The Liberal Party’s federated model means each State division sets its own preselection rules, and Ms Ley was reluctant to say she would override those or tell them they must have quotas.

But she was adamant things had to change.

“I’m the first woman in my position, and I don’t believe anyone in my position has had the resolve that I have right here, right now. Watch this space,” she said.

She planted policy flags on Defence spending, domestic and sexual violence, and protecting children from addictive technology.

A new working group, comprising moderate and centrist Liberal frontbenchers along with two Nationals who hold relevant portfolios, will develop an energy and emissions reduction policy.

Nationals senator Matt Canavan has reportedly been tasked by his party hierarchy to examine its commitment to achieving net zero emissions, raising fears the Opposition will seek to dump the policy given his long criticism of it.

Ms Ley would not commit one way or the other on net zero, but said the working group task would be underpinned by the goal of working out how to reduce Australia’s emissions so the country was playing its part in global efforts.

“The range of different views on energy policy more broadly, because that’s what this is . . . in our party room reflect the range of views outside the party room,” she said.

“Now, we got smashed at the last election — I think I made that very clear — and that’s a good reason why we would say, let’s start this policy development process at the beginning. Let’s do it properly, and let’s take the time to get it right.”

Liberal MPs will meet on Friday to set up structures to develop policies in other areas, with Ms Ley saying it was imperative they act like the alternative government they were.