Efforts to get more Liberal women into safe seats appears to need more work after the party picked a man to be Malcolm Turnbull's replacement in Wentworth.
Dave Sharma will run for the Liberals in the Wentworth by-election on October 20, after he was preselected in Thursday night's ballot.
The Liberal party is debating whether to put quotas in place to get more women to run, after criticism of the party's culture and ability to keep women involved.
Victorian Liberal Julia Banks is quitting parliament at the next election in protest at the bullying and intimidation she received during the recent leadership spill.
"I want to see more women in parliament, and I want to see more Liberal women in parliament," Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters in Sydney on Friday.
"But you've got to pick the best candidate, and Dave was the best candidate last night."
Mr Sharma defeated two other men in the top three to claim the win.
Mr Turnbull and former prime minister John Howard both supported Mr Sharma, despite Mr Morrison's push for a woman to take the seat.
There's speculation prominent Sydney doctor Kerryn Phelps could run in Wentworth as an independent in the wake of Mr Sharma's preselection.
Australian Associated Press
