By Situation Theatre 18/9/2018
“5 down, only 15 to go. I’m confident that after the next election we’ll be all coal, all Murdoch, all Pentecostal, all male, all the time.”
With NSW MP Ann Sudmalis quitting politics, Victorian MP Julia Banks not contesting the next election, South Australian senator Lucy Gichuhi in an unwinnable spot on the state’s ticket, Queensland MP Jane Prentice losing preselection, and Julie Bishop likely giving up her seat of Perth, ScoMo is pretty bloody confident the Libs will smash their female reduction target of 26% of 2005 levels by 2030.
The purging of meddlesome women from the Liberal Party is predicted to gain pace in 2019, with predictions that there will only be only five women left in the House of Representatives, representing be a 25 year low.
In response Mr Morrison said “It’s five too many if you ask me”.
He added “It’s not a total success but the business-as-usual model is working pretty well. They’re dropping like flies”.
Asked what was more important, establishing gender quotas to achieve a fair reflection of the electorate within the Liberal Party, or eliminating all women from the party, the PM said “eliminating all women from the party.” He counselled against being “distracted by ideological debate about notions of ‘equality’ and ‘fairness’”.
The Prime Minister has also quashed speculation that a complete absence of women could negatively affect policymaking.
He said “I’ve got a pretty exciting announcement about a new position that I think will allay those concerns, but I don’t want to give too much away. Let’s just say Tony Abbott did an outstanding job as Minister for Women”.