Julia Banks (Chisholm, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) welcomes the announcement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs at the United Nations General Assembly on 22 September 2017 of the Women's Leadership Initiative (Initiative);

(2) notes that the Initiative is a five year program to support emerging women leaders in the Pacific and to help participants—selected from Australia Awards scholars—to fulfil their leadership potential and drive ideas and reforms in their communities;

(3) further notes that the Initiative is part of Australia's partnership with Pacific Island countries to meet shared challenges and support a stable, secure and prosperous Pacific region;

(4) acknowledges that the Initiative will deepen our long standing relationship with our Pacific neighbours and see Pacific women mentored by successful female leaders, including Australian Indigenous leaders, private sector representatives and pioneering leaders from the Pacific; and

(5) recognises that the empowerment of women and girls is a priority for Australia's development assistance and is fundamental to our increased engagement in the Pacific.

This motion asks that the House welcome the announcement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, at the United Nations General Assembly on 22 September 2017, of the Women's Leadership Initiative. It notes that the initiative is a five-year program to support emerging women leaders in the Pacific and help participants, selected from among Australia Awards scholars, to fulfil their leadership potential and drive ideas and reforms in their communities. It asks that the House further note that the initiative is part of Australia's partnership with Pacific Island countries to meet shared challenges and support a stable, secure and prosperous Pacific region, and to acknowledge that this initiative will deepen our longstanding relationship with our Pacific neighbours and see Pacific women mentored by successful female leaders, including Australian Indigenous leaders, private sector representatives and pioneering leaders from the Pacific. It asks the House to recognise that the empowerment of women and girls is a priority of Australia's development assistance and is fundamental to our increased engagement in the Pacific.

I'm proud to be a member of the Turnbull government and in particular to endorse this recent announcement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, at the United Nations General Assembly, of our government's new Women's Leadership Initiative. The Women's Leadership Initiative, launched in September, is a five-year program. The $5.4 million program will help participants, selected from among Australian Awards scholars, to fulfil their leadership potential and drive big ideas and reforms in their communities. This will be an incredible opportunity for the participants—an opportunity which will empower them with skills and networks to engender significant change in their home countries, in their communities and in their own personal lives.

Women in the Pacific continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions. I am a strong advocate for gender equality and know firsthand the benefits and positives that gender equality brings to create a more cohesive society. Diversity delivers success, and gender diversity should be something that is a mandate and absolutely an imperative for us all. Greater gender equality, especially in leadership and decision making, contributes to reducing poverty, promoting economic growth and enhancing the wellbeing of women, girls and their families. It is imperative that young women and young girls increasingly participate in communities in the workforce. This is what mentoring and the many other elements of this initiative will provide.

The Women's Leadership Initiative will specifically provide participants with the tools to navigate barriers that might otherwise impede pathways to leadership. This will see Pacific women mentored by other successful female leaders, including Australian Indigenous leaders, private sector representatives and pioneering leaders from the Pacific. The advantage of role models and mentoring can never be underestimated. That is why this is such an important element in this initiative. By forging links between emerging women leaders in the Pacific and in Australia, the Women's Leadership Initiative will deepen our longstanding relationship with our Pacific neighbours and, indeed, the empowerment of women and girls. This is a priority for Australia's development assistance and a key pillar of our increased engagement in the Pacific.

As part of our aid program, the Turnbull government is investing in neighbouring countries and in women throughout the Pacific so that we will see better outcomes for people throughout the Asia-Pacific region—and the benefits will be mutual. We know that women make significant contributions to their country's economies. Governments and the private sector, together, are recognising that investing in women and girls has a powerful effect on productivity, the economy, efficiency, economic growth and, on a more personal level, self-esteem and empowerment. A 2016 study by Pacific Trade Invest Australia found that proprietors of one-third of exporting companies are women, with the number increasing in the last two years. While women are still underrepresented in national parliaments in the Pacific, there is a higher participation of women in senior management in the public sector. The regional average increased from 11.3 per cent in 2012 to 14. 8 per cent in 2016.

While progress has been made, we have far to go to progress true gender equality. The Women's Leadership Initiative will be a force for good, assisting Pacific nations to empower themselves economically through better equality. The Inter-Parliamentary Union found that globally women comprise 23.3 per cent of national parliamentarians. That was the world average at January 2017. But the percentage of women in Pacific parliaments is currently around 6.9 per cent. Parliaments that represent their nation's demography are better placed to represent the needs of all citizens, men and women. Across the Pacific, men far outnumber women in paid employment outside the agriculture sector by approximately two to one, and males typically earn 20 to 50 per cent more than women because they work in jobs attracting higher salaries. So, typically, more men are working in leadership positions.

In deepening our people-to-people links with the Pacific, on 8 September the Prime Minister announced the establishment of the Pacific Connect program to forge a network of strategic level relationships between Pacific and Australian leaders across both the public and private sectors. It will comprise a year-long leaders program, focused on solving a particular challenge or problem. The inaugural challenge is bringing the digital revolution to the Pacific. We're also encouraging more frequent cultural exchanges and closer ties between Australia and Pacific communities, businesses, sporting clubs and schools.

We will continue to support Australian graduates to study in the Pacific, with 1,100 participants in the region under the New Colombo Plan in 2018. The New Colombo Plan is an inspired initiative of our foreign minister and the coalition government, which is making such enormous leaps and bounds and building a cohesive and wholly rounded educated society, particularly with our young students. We also want to encourage more frequent cultural exchanges and closer ties between Australian and Pacific communities, businesses, sporting clubs and schools.

I believe strongly in the dignity of work, coupled strongly with equality of opportunity. A country prospers when its citizens are empowered by the same educational standards and capacity to contribute to society. The Women's Leadership Initiative will be a strong conduit for growth in the Pacific region and I know that it will create tangible and effectual change for our neighbouring women and girls.

The Turnbull government knows that women and women's interests are increasingly and effectively represented and visible through leadership at all levels of decision-making. Through more inclusive engagement, Pacific women will have expanded economic opportunities to earn income and accumulate economic assets. With that, of course, comes financial independence and increased productivity. The Women's Leadership Initiative will drive integral societal and economic reforms throughout the Pacific, empowering women and girls so that entire communities may grow.

See this speech in context