Shadow Minister for Women Calls for Cultural Reform in Liberal Party Beyond Gender Quotas
Melissa McIntosh, the newly appointed shadow minister for women, is pushing for a comprehensive cultural transformation within the Liberal Party. She is urging the party to bring in specialists in organisational and gender equality design to lead a significant structural overhaul that would better support women.
In a letter addressed to the NSW Women’s Council ahead of a Wednesday night meeting focused on gender quotas, McIntosh expressed openness to the idea of quotas but emphasized the need for broader, systemic change led by experts in cultural reform.
“Too much is at stake to rely on instinct or assumption,” she wrote.
Her comments come after Liberal deputy leader Sussan Ley said during a National Press Club speech that she would consider quotas if state divisions deemed them necessary. In contrast, senior party figure Angus Taylor argued shortly afterward that improved mentoring and recruitment were preferable, claiming Labor’s quota system “subverted democracy.”
McIntosh, however, warned against oversimplifying the issue.
“I caution against reducing the complexity of this issue to a ‘yes or no’ on quotas,” she wrote.
“Gender equality in the Liberal Party isn’t solely about numbers — it’s about representation, culture, and the systems that support a woman’s journey from joining the Party to rising in its ranks.”
She described how foundational support structures must be strong enough to protect women from exclusionary practices, including aggressive behaviour, branch stacking, and blocking of memberships — all of which she says she has personally encountered.
In her call for reform, McIntosh stressed that real change requires more than policy tweaks; it demands mentoring, support networks, and above all, a cultural shift.
“Strong systems open the door,” she wrote. “But it’s the culture that determines whether women stay, thrive, and rise to leadership.”
As internal discussions continue about the party’s identity and direction, McIntosh is advocating for a thorough review that looks at both culture and structure.
She proposed exploring gender-balanced candidate pools to promote equal opportunity in line with Liberal values, rather than enforcing fixed outcomes. She also called for an evaluation of leadership pathways, mentoring programs, and other evidence-based strategies.
“Culture and structure must evolve together,” she said, adding that meaningful transformation must be driven by clear principles and data.
“This review must be rigorous, principled, and data-driven, anchored in the values we stand for. If we get this right, I truly believe real, lasting change is possible.”
