‘Need to diet’: Woman’s explosive claims

A woman says she was pushed to resign from the NSW Liberal Party because she was told to go on a crash diet and to step out of the way for male candidates.

Jemma Tribe has had tilts at preselection in federal and state seats for the Liberal Party and is now running as an independent to be mayor of Shoalhaven in the state’s south coast.

Her resignation letter to the Liberal Party NSW director puts forward allegations of sexism and misogyny.

“During preselections, I have either been asked to withdraw my nomination to make way for a male candidate or I heard feedback like, ‘You need to go on a crash diet’,” Ms Tribe writes in the letter, which she claims she did not leak to the media.

She said a group of party members tried to mimic a UK scheme to get more women into the party, but “we received no support”.

“As the only woman in her late 30s in the Liberal Party in the Shoalhaven, there are none left to ask how to do better,” Ms Tribe said.

“I sincerely hope the party can rectify that in the future.

“While I have been long disillusioned with the party, I have been determined to stay and help rebuild. But unfortunately there appears to be no real acknowledgment of the underlying issues.”

A NSW Liberal Party spokesperson said a code of conduct “makes the behaviour standards expected of members very clear”.

“The Liberal Party takes such matters very seriously … The Division had not been made aware of Ms Tribe’s complaints prior to her resignation.”

The party was putting forward “strong and capable local government candidates, the spokesperson said.

“The party has been working hard with our Women’s Council to support, mentor and train potential female candidates.”

About 40 per cent of currently endorsed local government candidates were female, the spokesperson said.