Only six months after Sussan Ley became the first woman leader in the federal Liberal Party's 80 year history, the Victorian Liberals made history this week by electing their own first woman leader, Jess Wilson.

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Just days afterwards, Kellie Sloane replaced Mark Speakman as leader of the NSW Liberals.

Both Wilson and Sloane are first term MPs and represent renewal for their parties.

In particular, the choice of Wilson as a fresh face to challenge an old government, elected unopposed after the deposition of Brad Battin and with only 12 months before the next state election, is a wise move.

Likewise for Sloane, as the NSW Liberals prepare for election in early 2027.

Like their federal counterpart, the Victorian and NSW Liberals have been struggling with a "woman problem".

They share three key aspects: underrepresentation of women in parliament, a toxic, blokey culture, and declining support from women voters.

Despite overall gender parity in the Victorian Parliament, women remain underrepresented in the state Liberal Party ranks. Only one third of their legislators are women, which further drops to one in four in the lower house.

While Victorian Labor can boast a precedent of two women premiers, two women deputy leaders and one woman opposition leader, the Liberals have failed to elect a woman to any of these leadership positions. They are the last Liberal Party in Australia to elect a woman leader.

Women are better represented in the NSW Liberals, comprising 43 per cent of parliamentarians.

They have also served as premier, deputy premier and leader of the opposition. With Sloane as leader and Natalie Ward continuing as Deputy, the NSW Liberals have now made history by electing a woman to the top two positions.

Both parties, however, have struggled with a toxic blokey culture.

Just two months ago, the Victorian Liberals made headlines when then-Victorian Liberal party director Stuart Smith ridiculed the party's historic women's council.

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© Canberra Times