Former Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie have slammed the comments made by two senior Victorian Liberal men, former party president Alan Stockdale, and former senator Richard Alston, as “out of touch”.
Stockdale and Alston, who oversee the NSW Liberals since the administration failed to nominate 144 council candidates, told the NSW Liberal Women’s Council in a meeting that: “women are sufficiently assertive now,” and, “we should be giving some thought to whether we need to protect men’s involvement”.
Annastacia Palaszczuk.Credit: Matt Dennien
“I can’t believe this. I mean, you finally got one step forward for the Liberal Party with Sussan Ley being elected, and it’s three steps backwards with these comments. These are not appropriate in this day and age,” Palaszczuk said on Today this morning.
“Honestly, the Liberal Party needs a good, hard look at themselves, and especially the men.
“I mean, there are good women coming through on, through all different political parties, and this guy is out of touch. He’s absolutely out of touch. And there’s no room for this in today’s modern society.”
McKenzie backed her comments: “I hope women are assertive as they represent their communities, they fight for the future of their countries, and I think Annastacia and I will be on a unity ticket on this.
“It was in my Senate room where 80 per cent of the senators are women, and they were all in shadow cabinet, and the guys weren’t. It was as a shocking comment. I think it’s time for Alan to head back to the Melbourne Club … and chat with the old boys about what went wrong.”
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