Queensland MP Luke Howarth - pictured with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Queensland Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls - has said he is sorry for dropping the f-bomb during the press conference. Credit:ABC Williams then completed his question: "Would you like to see more female MPs in LNP ranks in Queensland?" The Prime Minister answered: "We always look forward to seeing more women represented in our parliaments and that is an objective of our party. We have great Queensland colleagues - Jane Prentice I was texting with her yesterday ... and I was with her very recently." Mr Howarth then noted Ms Prentice was the Assistant Minister for Social Services and that Karen Andrews, also from Queensland, is the Assistant Minister for Vocational Education. "And out in my area you've got a great team in Kara Thomas, Kerri-Anne Dooley, Tracy Davis who was a minister in the Newman government. So there's a lot of good women in the LNP and we always welcome more. So ladies if you want to join up..."

Mr Turnbull then stepped in to add: "We need more female candidates. Women hold up half the sky and we'd like them to hold up a larger part of the parliamentary seats as well." The number of female Liberal MPs after the last election dropped to its lowest number in 25 years. In the current Parliament, women represent 21 per cent of Liberal MPs, 14 per cent of Nationals MPs and 44 per cent of Labor MPs. The Liberal Party has a target of 50 per cent female representation by 2025. The audio was first aired by Sky News and Fairfax Media later spoke with Mr Howarth, who stuck to his ground. "I thought it was a frustrating question," he said. "I answered at the end what I thought - particularly in my area, we have a lot of strong people running. Mark my words, at the upcoming state election, LNP women will be elected." But Mr Howarth said he should not have sworn and apologised if the comment had made it to air.

"It was just mumbled under my breath to myself, more at frustration at the question," he said. "I guess you can't mumble things under your breath. I wasn't speaking in front of the microphone, the camera wasn't even on me I don't think. No one else heard it. It must be the you-beaut microphones they've got now. "I just think it's an unfair question given that we have two assistant ministers in safe seats and we do have good representation." "What can I say? If people heard that, I'm sorry. It's a bad habit, I shouldn't do it." Also on Thursday, Mr Howarth's Liberal Party colleague Craig Kelly told Sky News it was "a bit over the top" for female MPs to breastfeed their children in the chamber, as Greens senator Larissa Waters did in June.

"I thought was a bit over the top but they were making a statement that we're trying to encourage women," he said, noting Federal Parliament could be "a very female unfriendly place". The incidents followed a remarkable photo posted by former prime minister Tony Abbott on Wednesday, addressing a meeting of the Newtown Young Liberals, in which only two women appeared to be present in the audience. - with Stephanie Peatling