Retiring senator Linda Reynolds criticises Liberal Party after heavy election defeatBy Grace BurmasABC Radio PerthTopic:Elections38m ago38 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 1:34amSenator Linda Reynolds has been scathing in her assessment of the Liberal Party campaign. (ABC News: Jake Sturmer)abc.net.au/news/senator-linda-reynolds-scathing-liberal-party-election-loss/105252896Link copiedShareShare articleRetiring Liberal senator Linda Reynolds has labelled the party's federal election campaign a "comprehensive failure" partly attributable to its lack of effort in increasing female representation. The WA Liberals had hoped to reverse some of the losses from the 2022 election, but the party only retained four WA seats, while the seat of Bullwinkel remains locked in a tight battle.Labor managed to wrest the seat of Moore from the Liberals for the first time in 38 years, and the Liberals failed to win back blue-ribbon Curtin from teal independent Kate Chaney.Senator Reynolds said the party had failed to learn from past mistakes."The seeds of our current situation have been long coming and require no sugar coating," she told ABC Radio Perth.Linda Reynolds described the party's election campaign as a "comprehensive failure". (ABC News: Jake Sturmer)"You can see through successive reviews in federal and state in terms of where we have taken the wrong turn but we haven't comprehensively understood those lessons and we certainly haven't implemented the reforms that are needed."It was a comprehensive failure."The women problemThe lack of women among the Liberal's candidates should be at the top of the party's reforms according to the former Liberal minister.Senator Reynolds was read a text message from an ABC Radio Perth listener, describing the Liberals as an "ocean of males", to which she replied: "I totally agree.""It's one of the issues I have been fighting for, for a very long time in the Liberal Party," the senator said."Ten years ago I was part of a review into gender … and we recommended targets and how to get there without quotas. Two undecided WA seats give unique insight into what voters thoughtPhoto shows A group of Labor supporters in red shirts look above the camera while a man raises his hands in the air.Unlike 2022, Western Australia won't determine the outcome of the election — that is done and dusted — but the seats of Fremantle and Bullwinkel are coming down to the wire."That's been the Liberal Party policy for 10 years but it's just sat on a shelf."We do have to have the hard conversations now about how we become more gender balanced but also a broader diversity."Senator Reynolds said the Liberal Party had drifted a long way from its origins as a party which traditionally attracted female voters."What a lot of people don't realise is that when the Liberal Party was formed, we were the progressive National Party, it was Robert Menzies and Dame Elizabeth Couchman," she said."Not as in progressive now as we understand it, as more woke, but progressive as in standing for women. "And in fact, until 2001 the majority of Australian women voted for the Liberal Party, and that seems almost inconceivable now."So we have to understand why women have turned away from our party and change."Senator Reynolds said she was confident the party could get back on track but said it would be "deluded" if it didn't see the significant changes that need to be made.Peter Dutton led the Coalition to a heavy election defeat, and lost his own seat of Dickson. (ABC News: Matt Roberts )"People are just not relating to us," she said."We really do have a lot of work to do. "I firmly believe that our values are just as relevant today as they have been, but one we haven't been focused enough on them, and we certainly haven't been focused enough on 'how do we communicate that effectively to people across our community?'"We need to find a new way to communicate that. But to do that, we've got to be united."LoadingPosted 38m ago38 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 1:34am, updated 12m ago12 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 1:59amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesTrump says Albanese a 'friend of mine' and has 'no idea' who Dutton isLIVE'Laughable policies': Voters explain what went wrong for CoalitionTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows A young coupleFirst Canada, then Australia: Trump is toxic for conservatives everywhereAAnalysis by Alan KohlerPhoto shows man with a bald head and glasses faces a man with blond hairLiberal senator slams leadership contender Angus TaylorTopic:Liberal Party of AustraliaPhoto shows Hollie Hughes dstopThe message to the Coalition is clear: This is not John Howard's AustraliaPAnalysis by Patricia KarvelasPhoto shows Anthony Albanese holds up his hands to calm the crowd.Popular nowTrump says Albanese a 'friend of mine' and he has 'no idea' who Dutton isLIVELiberal senator slams leadership contender Angus TaylorTopic:Liberal Party of AustraliaPhoto shows Hollie Hughes dstop'That's odd': Erin Patterson's reaction after mushroom poisonings examined in trialLIVEPhoto shows A digital drawing of Erin Patterson wearing a pink shirtRelated topicsElectionsGovernment and PoliticsPerthState and Territory GovernmentState and Territory ParliamentTop StoriesTrump says Albanese a 'friend of mine' and has 'no idea' who Dutton isTopic:Australian Federal Elections'Laughable policies': Voters explain what went wrong for CoalitionTopic:ElectionsFirst Canada, then Australia: Trump is toxic for conservatives everywhereAAnalysis by Alan KohlerLiberal senator slams leadership contender Angus TaylorTopic:Liberal Party of AustraliaThe message to the Coalition is clear: This is not John Howard's AustraliaPAnalysis by Patricia KarvelasJust InAshley Youth Detention Centre closure delayed again, to 2028BREAKING18m ago18 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 1:53amTrump announces 100 per cent tariffs on movies made outside of AmericaTopic:Film Industry27m ago27 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 1:45amPilot who crashed at Avalon Airshow says he suffered spinal damageTopic:Accidents and Emergency Incidents35m ago35 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 1:37amHow DNA matchmaking of rams and ewes could 'droughtproof sheep'Topic:Sheep Farming36m ago36 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 1:35amMore Just InBack to top