‘A big boys’ club’: senior Liberal women fight to solve the party’s gender problem

The preselection of Simon Kennedy in Cook has fanned fears about lack of balance – with more men set to replace retiring female MPs

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Senior Liberal women are quietly campaigning to preselect more female candidates ahead of the next federal election as representation plummets to decade lows.

The preselection of Simon Kennedy in the safe Liberal seat of Cook has reignited a battle within the Liberals to take its gender targets seriously and deal with its “women problem”.