Charlotte Mortlock Resigns from Hilma's Network and Liberal Party Amidst Internal Strife

Charlotte Mortlock, founder of Hilma's Network, has announced her resignation from both the organization and the Liberal Party. This significant decision follows the recent removal of Sussan Ley as the party's federal female deputy leader and the NSW Liberal branch's withdrawal of a proposed vote on gender quotas. Mortlock stated that her departure was influenced by "recent events" and her intention to support women and Australia through alternative avenues.

Mortlock Steps Down from Hilma's Network and Liberal Party

Charlotte Mortlock, who established Hilma’s Network to increase female representation within the Liberal Party, confirmed her resignation from the organization and her Liberal Party membership on Sunday. A former Coalition staffer, Mortlock stated that "due to recent events I have decided there are other ways I can support women and Australia." She also expressed pride in Hilma's achievements since its inception.

Hilma's Network: Mission and New Leadership

Hilma's Network was founded in 2022, in the aftermath of the federal election loss, with the primary objective of increasing female representation and participation within the Liberal Party. Mortlock credited the network with supporting women in preselections and elections nationwide, as well as fostering party evolution and growth across multiple states.

Mortlock's vision for Hilma's Network was to empower women within the Liberal Party, a mission that has seen tangible results in preselections and party development.

Erin Watson, the Victorian representative for Hilma's Network, will now assume the role of chief executive. Watson affirmed the organization's robust and sustainable foundation, which she stated was built by Mortlock. She also expressed disappointment regarding the removal of the Liberal Party's first federal female deputy leader. Watson's new responsibilities will include supporting Victorian Liberal leader Jess Wilson's campaign. The Hilma's Network board of directors acknowledged Mortlock's contributions and vision.

Liberal Party Leadership Shake-Up: Sussan Ley Removed

Sussan Ley, who served as the Liberal Party's first federal female deputy leader for nine months, was removed from her position following a challenge. Andrew Taylor (also referred to as Angus Taylor) won the ballot with 34 votes to Ley's 17.

Some Liberal MPs cited Ley's performance and declining poll numbers as reasons for the change. Conversely, Ley's supporters suggested she had not received adequate support from colleagues and raised the possibility that gender may have influenced the outcome. Discussions among high-profile right-faction MPs regarding Ley's deputy leadership reportedly occurred before the funeral of former Liberal MP Katie Allen, involving individuals such as Andrew Hastie, Angus Taylor, Jonno Duniam, and James Paterson.

Former Liberal cabinet minister Karen Andrews acknowledged the potential for public backlash from female supporters who might perceive Ley as having been treated unfairly during the leadership process. However, Andrews also agreed with supporters of the new deputy leader that Ley had been afforded sufficient time to demonstrate her capabilities.

Gender Representation and the Quota Debate

The Liberal Party has a stated target of 50% female representation among its Members of Parliament. Currently, women constitute approximately one-third of its MPs. In the lower house, six women and 22 men are present, with the number of women expected to decrease to five upon Ley's departure. The upper house comprises 11 Liberal women and 12 Liberal men.

The party has faced challenges in securing women's votes in recent elections, with data indicating a decline in female voter support for the Liberal Party since 2004. A projected lower likelihood of women voting for the Coalition in the 2025 election further highlights this issue.

Mortlock had advocated for the implementation of state and federal gender quotas, suggesting they serve as a minimum measure to enhance both representation and policy development for women. She noted that quotas are credited with contributing to women constituting a majority in the Labor Party's caucus.

The Liberal Party, however, generally emphasizes individual merit and has historically resisted identity politics, making quotas a divisive topic within its ranks.

Prior to the leadership change, Ley had expressed an openness to gender quotas, though she stated she was not "wedded to them." Following the change, the new Deputy Leader, Angus Taylor, rejected the concept of quotas, characterizing Labor's use of them as subverting democracy. He proposed mentoring and recruitment support as alternative strategies. Peter Dutton, the current party leader, has also rejected the concept of quotas, proposing similar alternative methods. A federal review of the party's 2025 election performance is not anticipated to recommend a rigid quota system. Despite this, some state divisions of the party currently utilize gender quotas for executive and administration committees, with variations between states. Jane Hume has reiterated her opposition to quotas but affirmed her support for increasing the number of women in parliament through alternative methods.

NSW Gender Quota Proposal Withdrawn

A proposal for gender quotas, drafted by six Liberal women including Mortlock, was removed from the NSW Liberal branch's state council meeting agenda. The proposal aimed to introduce a 40% target for women MPs (at the federal level, according to one source), ensure that half of preselection candidates were women, and reserve 40% of seats in NSW for female candidates through women-only preselections. The withdrawal was reportedly due to concerns that it could lead to an extensive debate on gender representation prior to the next state election.

Reactions from Party Members and Independents

Jane Hume, the new Deputy Liberal Leader, expressed sadness regarding Mortlock's resignation, acknowledging her as "a great contributor and a great voice for women that hold Liberal values." Hume underscored the importance of women's voices within the party and affirmed her commitment to representing Australian women. She also indicated hope that she is "fully aware of the issues that the Liberal party has with female voters."

Independent MP Allegra Spender praised Mortlock’s work, suggesting that the Liberal Party had not adequately considered her recommendations or adopted the necessary changes to effectively represent modern Australian women. Spender linked this situation to her own decision not to join the Liberal Party.

Anonymous Liberal women sources were quoted expressing concerns; one stated, "The boys are back in charge," while another voiced worry over the party's approach to issues such as women, the environment, and integrity, as well as the recent leadership change. Another anonymous Liberal woman commented that "the feminist faction are pretty down in the dumps."

Several current and former Liberal politicians, including Shadow Minister for Women Maria Kovacic, former South Australian MP Nicolle Flint, and former NSW Energy Minister Matt Kean, posted messages of support for Mortlock on Instagram.

Currently, four women hold leadership positions for the Liberal Party at a state level: Lia Finocchiaro (Northern Territory Chief Minister), Jess Wilson (Victorian opposition leader), Kellie Sloane (New South Wales opposition leader), and Ashton Hurn (South Australian opposition leader).