NSW minister Natalie Ward wants to move to the lower house to boost the number of female MPs.Credit:Steven Siewert
Ward said the “party expects and the electorate expects capable,smart women who have done something in their lives to be able to participate”. However,she said one of her biggest “bugbears” was not ensuring women run in safe seats.
Ward said the Liberals had been sent a clear message in the federal election whitewash and the party “had listened,or at least I hope we have”.
“We need to be a more attractive proposition,but also,this is a party that is very free market – there’s no free rides,you have to prove yourself,” she said.
Ward has nominated for preselection for the ultra-safe seat of Davidson,which is being vacated by retiring Speaker Jonathan O’Dea. A staffer to former premier Mike Baird,Matt Cross,has also been working on winning preselection for the blue-ribbon seat for years,setting the scene for a showdown.
Ward,who still has four years of her upper house term remaining,said the lower house needed to boost its number of women and representing an electorate gave females more exposure.
She said she was always urging women to put themselves forward and it was time for her to “lead by example” by running for a lower house seat. However,she said more had to be done.
“The party has resisted quotas[but] I think at some point we need to revisit that and have the brave conversation about it because,certainly,that has worked for the Labor Party,” Ward said.