Liberal Party Sent Out Mail To Women Addressed With Their Male Housemates’ Surnames
The Liberal Party may be Australia’s most popular conservative party but their latest gaff has shocked women across the nation, as painfully out of touch.
In standard election mail-outs sent to households across the nation, the title in the address incorrectly assigned women with the surname of their male partners, boyfriends and even housemates- regardless of their relationship status.
https://twitter.com/hellomista/status/747329773722996738
Understandably, women have taken to social media and other news outlets to show their anger and frustration at the Liberal Party.
Kelly Tall took her complaint to the ABC where she said that while she is married, she chose to keep her maiden name.
“It’s so 1950s that the assumption would be that a man and woman living together would share the same surname,” Tall said.
Hi @TurnbullMalcolm.Can you explain how 1mth after boyfriend moved into my apartment you assume I've taken his name? pic.twitter.com/TiqqrFCpyI
— Lucy Carter (@lucethoughts) June 27, 2016
I've lived here for a year, I own the apartment. And yet a man moves in with me and suddenly I've got his name, &mail is addressed to him.
— Lucy Carter (@lucethoughts) June 27, 2016
The Australian Electoral Commission confirmed that they only change the last name of a person who fills out a name change form, therefore the data is being altered after it reaches the Liberal party.
The LNP have since apologised for their mistakes, ultimately blaming it on “human error”, saying “no discourtesy was intended”.
Whether or not this was a mistake, it does make a case for the LNP sending out regressive messages about contemporary families and gender roles, with many women deeming the mail-outs as sexist, archaic and insulting.