Ted O'Brien says Liberals need to reflect ‘modern Australia' with more women in party
Ted O'Brien says the Liberal party needs to expand to better reflect modern Australia, pledging to recruit more women and young people to help shape policy and stand for parliament.
As the Coalition begins the long road back from the 3 May election defeat under Peter Dutton, the new deputy party leader and his leader, Sussan Ley, face calls for formal quotas to help women take winnable seats, and for a major policy reset to better align with voters' concerns.
The Fairfax MP and nuclear power advocate told Guardian Australia he would contribute to policy debate on energy supply, but stopped short of saying whether the Dutton-era plan for construction of seven reactors should remain policy for the next election, due around 2028.
'I absolutely believe that we need to see a bigger Liberal party which reflects modern Australia, and represents modern Australia, and that includes more women, not just running as parliamentarians but throughout the party,' O'Brien said.
'I'm saddened by the fact that we had 28 female candidates, that 28 women went to this election as Liberals who weren't elected.'
Asked about Dutton labelling the ABC and Guardian Australia 'hate media' in the days before the election, O'Brien promised a different approach.
Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email
'I don't believe in prejudging any media outlet.
'I think that we need to be speaking to all Australians because the Liberal party represents all Australians, and different media outlets sometimes speak to different parts of Australia.'
The Coalition looks set to be reduced to fewer than 45 seats, after Anthony Albanese defied expectations and dramatically increased Labor's representation to at least 93 seats.
Ley and the Nationals leader, David Littleproud, have begun talks on a new Coalition agreement, but she is holding off on naming a frontbench or expressing views on policy specifics.
Elected by a vote of 29 to 25 over the shadow treasurer, Angus Taylor, Ley said she wanted to meet voters 'where they are' and that the Liberal party needed to reset its offerings to Australians.
Sign up to Afternoon Update
Our Australian afternoon update breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters
after newsletter promotion
O'Brien – first elected to parliament in 2016 – worked for his family's flour mill and the bakery firm Defiance, including across Asia, and has worked as a consultant. He and his wife have three children, including a 20-month-old. He founded the youth-focused non-profit Generation Innovation and is a former chair of the Australian Republican Movement.
He said he would bring a constructive and communicative leadership style.
'We've lost an election, we've been sent a big message, and the Liberal party is moving to a phase of rebuilding and I think Sussan is going to do a fantastic job as our leader.
'I've got a role to play in it, in trying to assist getting the team all working together and keeping us all united as we move forward.'
Senior party figures, including former minister Simon Birmingham and senators Maria Kovacic and Linda Reynolds, have called for the Coalition to adopt formal gender quotas to boost female representation.
Labor made similar moves in 1994 and now have gender parity in the caucus and Albanese's second-term cabinet.
But O'Brien said he would not offer a view on any mechanisms to broadening diversity.
'The first step in the process is very much for us to be listening to the Australian community, looking at the data and the evidence so that we are genuinely being very humble about this,' he said.
A formal review of the Liberal loss is expected, probably led by party elders.
Alongside a debate about nuclear, some Nationals MPs want the opposition to dump its support for net zero by 2050.
O'Brien said he looked forward to speaking to voters across the country in his new role.
'I believe in old school politics. I believe in the street corner, the town hall, the footy club, and so when you're old school like that, you don't know who's going to rock up and have a chat to you.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
23 minutes ago
- Reuters
No rush for US energy as Asia's imports slip under Trump: Russell
LAUNCESTON, Australia, June 10 (Reuters) - Asian countries aren't rushing to buy U.S. energy commodities, even though lifting imports of crude oil, liquefied natural gas and coal will help meet President Donald Trump's demand for lower trade surpluses. While rare earths may be the immediate talking point in the current talks between the Trump administration and China, the real action behind any deal will be in the big three energy commodities. The same is true for other Asian economies seeking to curry favour with Trump and get a better deal than the hefty tariffs imposed on many in his so-called "Liberation Day" measures announced on April 2, and subsequently paused for 90 days. But in the four full months since Trump returned to the White House, Asia's imports of U.S. energy commodities have actually fallen from the same period last year. Imports of crude oil from February to May declined to 1.53 million barrels per day (bpd) from 1.55 million bpd in the same period in 2024, according to data from commodity analysts Kpler. Asia's imports of U.S. LNG were 4.78 million metric tons in the February to May period, down 40% from the 8.04 million tons in the same four months last year. Arrivals of all grades of coal were 13.79 million tons in the four-month period, down from 14.19 million tons from February to May last year. What these numbers show is that Asia, the world's top commodity importing region, isn't increasing its purchases of U.S. commodities. What the numbers don't show is that within the broader picture there are some dynamics at work that show that some Asian countries may be in the early stages of trying to ramp up imports of U.S. energy. India is buying more from the United States, with Kpler estimating imports of 253,000 bpd of crude oil in the four months from February to May, up from 175,000 bpd over the same period last year. June crude arrivals are forecast by Kpler to be 439,000 bpd, which would be the second-highest monthly total on record. While U.S. oil is still less than 10% of India's total imports, the fact that it is rising in what is a competitive market for pricing may indicate a desire to do more trade with the United States. India has also been buying more U.S. coal, with Kpler data showing imports of 3.1 million tons in May, the highest on record. India's imports of U.S. coal were 8.82 million tons in the four months from February to May, up 12% from the 7.85 million tons for the same period last year. Similar to crude, U.S. coal is a small percentage of India's total coal imports, but the rising imports are worth noting given U.S. coal has a more costly freight component than its competitors from Indonesia, Australia and South Africa. Outside of India, other Asian coal importers haven't been increasing shipments from the United States, with second-biggest buyer Japan importing 1.75 million tons in the February to May period, down from 2.15 million tons for the same months in 2024. Japan has also been buying less U.S. LNG, with only 1.04 million tons arriving from February to May, down from 1.75 million tons for the same period in 2024. The drop in shipments of U.S. LNG to Asia is most likely price-related as higher spot prices have seen cargoes move to Europe, which is using LNG to refill natural gas storages depleted during the northern winter. The loss of China as a market for U.S. LNG amid the ongoing tariff war has also hurt U.S. volumes to Asia, with Kpler showing no cargoes arrived in the world's biggest buyer of the super-chilled fuel in March, April and May. China's imports of U.S. coal have also dropped to almost zero, with only one cargo of around 35,000 tons arriving in May, according to Kpler, while no crude was imported in May. Outside of India, the only other major importer in Asia that has increased its purchases of U.S. energy is South Korea, with imports of crude rising to the second-highest on record in May at 593,000 bpd. South Korea has also lifted its imports of U.S. LNG in recent months, with May's 560,000 tons the highest since October last year, with Kpler forecasting another increase in June to 570,000 tons. However, the overall picture is that Asia's commodity importers are largely holding back on increasing imports of U.S. energy. It may be the case that they are still planning on using imports as leverage in talks with the Trump administration, or it may also be the case that the delivered prices of U.S. crude, coal and LNG are not competitive. But for now buying more U.S. energy in order to lower trade surpluses is not yet a thing in Asia. Enjoying this column? Check out Reuters Open Interest (ROI), your essential new source for global financial commentary. ROI delivers thought-provoking, data-driven analysis of everything from swap rates to soybeans. Markets are moving faster than ever. ROI can help you keep up. Follow ROI on LinkedIn, opens new tab and X, opens new tab. The views expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.
Daily Mail
28 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Lidia Thorpe accuses state of being 'complicit' in genocide after two Aboriginal men die in police custody
Lidia Thorpe has accused the Northern Territory government of being complicit in 'genocide' as relations between Aboriginal communities and police deteriorate. A 68-year-old Indigenous man died at Royal Darwin Hospital on Saturday after police stopped him from boarding a plane when they claimed he was drunk. It's the second death in custody in a fortnight in the Northern Territory. Days before, 24-year-old Aboriginal man Kumanjayi White died on May 27 after he was restrained by plain-clothes officers in an Alice Springs Coles. Both deaths are being investigated by police on behalf of the Coroner. Victorian independent Senator Thorpe took aim at NT's chief minister Lia Finocchiaro for being 'complicit' in the harm against Indigenous Australians. 'We meet all the definitions of genocide and I've certainly seen that over my time,' she told ABC's Radio National on Tuesday. 'The definition of genocide, according to the Geneva Convention, is causing harm to a group of people. 'The ongoing killings of our people in custody is ongoing harm of our people,' she said. 'The incarceration rates of our people, particularly in the Northern Territory, particularly of our children, is an act of genocide. 'The stealing of children and putting them in with white families is an act of genocide.' Thorpe also accused NT Police of 'systemic racism' and called for the federal government intervention into the force. 'We need the prime minister to come out. He came out on vaping. He came out on social media to stop kids from accessing social media. 'He called the states and territories to account for those issues. So he needs to do the same for deaths in custody.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted NT Police and the Prime Minister's office for comment. Finocchiaro slammed Thorpe's statements saying 'we categorically reject and dismiss these absurd claims'. 'The politicisation of a death in custody by federal Independent and Labor MPs shows just how little respect they have for the grieving family, the Northern Territory Police Force, and the broader NT community,' she said. The deaths in the last fortnight have ignited calls nationwide for more to be done to address the issue at territory and federal government levels. Hundreds of protesters gathered on the steps of Sydney's Town Hall on George Street on Saturday night where the lawyer for Mr White's family addressed the crowd. 'I've just come back from Alice Springs and Yuendumu, I'm angry there are mothers grieving there tonight,' lawyer George Newhouse said. 'I am angry there was a disabled young man calling out for his mother in Coles last week.' Rallies and vigils commemorating Mr White's death were also held nationwide on Friday, stretching as far as Alice Springs to Victoria's state parliament where Thorpe was one of the speakers. The Northern Land Council released a joint statement with Central Land Council and all Warlpiri families on Thursday calling for federal government to step in. 'Not enough has been done to address racism in the NT Police force,' the organisations said. 'We are calling upon the Federal Government to step in and make the necessary moves to ensure an independent body investigates this entirely preventable death.' On May 30, the same day TN was arrested while attempting to board a flight, NT Police Acting Commissioner Martin Dole rejected calls for an external investigation. 'This incident is being investigated by our Major Crime Division, which operates under strict protocols and with full transparency,' he said. 'The investigation will also be independently reviewed by the NT Coroner, who has broad powers to examine all aspects of the incident and make findings without interference.' This year alone there have been 12 Indigenous deaths in custody and 597 since the 1987 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody was established.
Reuters
33 minutes ago
- Reuters
Australia has stabilising role amid rising global division, says PM Albanese
SYDNEY, June 10 (Reuters) - Australia will seek to disprove the "corrosive" idea that democratic institutions are failing amid significant global uncertainty, and play a stabilising role in the region, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday. In his first major speech since his centre-left Labor party was re-elected in May, Albanese said the rise of far right and far left populism elsewhere in the world was because people felt they did not have a stake in the economy and that institutions were not working for them. "We are living in a time of significant global uncertainty - and that reaches beyond just economic instability, it is the more corrosive proposition that politics and government and democratic institutions, including a free media, are incapable of meeting the demands of this moment," he said in a speech to the National Press Club in Canberra. Albanese said that while some "cynically seek to harvest it", the Australian government saw its responsibility was to disprove such perceptions. He also referred to an Australian journalist hit by a rubber bullet during protests on Sunday in the U.S. city of Los Angeles as "horrific", and said that his government had contacted the U.S. over the incident to say it was not acceptable. Albanese is expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time next week on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in Canada, where the security allies will discuss tariffs and a request from the United States for Australia to increase defence spending from 2% to 3.5% of gross domestic product. Albanese has declined to publicly commit to a defence spending target, saying Australia would focus on capability needs, such as local manufacturing of missiles. "I think that Australia should decide what we spend on Australia's defence," he said on Tuesday, adding the country's ties in the Pacific and Asia were also important for its security. Australia was focussed on strengthening relationships in Asia, amid strategic competition in the region, he said.
