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AAP
AAP
Politics
Tim Dornin

SA Liberals look to recruit more women

South Australian opposition leader David Speirs wants more women in the state's Liberal party. (AAP)

The South Australian opposition has established a task force to look at ways to increase opportunities for women within the Liberal Party and boost its number of female MPs.

Following the resignation of former deputy premier Vickie Chapman, the Liberals have two women in state parliament's House of Assembly.

Liberal Leader David Speirs said the task force, which includes some sitting and former MPs, will report directly to him.

Mr Speirs said the current female representation for the Liberals in the assembly was not reflective of a modern political party or South Australian society.

"To make sure we better connect with South Australians our party needs to reflect what society looks like," Mr Speirs said.

"My shadow cabinet does that with six women, seven people in their thirties, nine people with school-age children, seven people who call regional South Australia home and two first-generation migrants.

"However, to only have two Liberal female members in the House of Assembly is a situation we must improve at the next election."

Mr Speirs said the task force would be charged with delivering a diverse set of candidates in 2026.

"This is not tokenistic and merit will of course remain the key deciding factor," he said.

"But the more strong female candidates we have the better the result will be for our party and South Australians."

Also included in the leader's task force will be Chelsey Potter, who was sidelined by the Liberal Party in her bid to win pre-selection for Ms Chapman's seat of Bragg where there will be a by-election next month.

Mr Speirs said Ms Potter's experience within the party had been "far from ideal".

"But we must learn from it and listen to her point of view," he said.

"Her experience is one that I hope will never be repeated and I am sorry that she has been through this."

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