Tracey Roberts (Pearce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking at the Australian Local Government Women's Association annual breakfast, which was held at the Western Australian Local Government Association's convention in Perth. They are a wonderful group of enthusiastic leaders with a strong commitment and dedication to their community. I wish all candidates well in next weekend's local government elections in WA. The theme I was asked to speak on was 'A future focus', and I was asked to reflect on the history of challenges that women face in local government and provide a contrast to my current role as the member for Pearce in the Albanese Labor government. I decided that it was important to first take a look back in time so we can appreciate how far we have come as women.

Just half a century ago, societal expectations confined women to the roles of wives, mothers and primary caregivers for their children. Very few women worked outside the home during this era of 'respectability and conformity'. Men were considered the heads of the household and were responsible for financial and legal matters, and women received family allowances. However, throughout history, including as far back as 4,000 BC, there were pioneering women who studied, taught and practised medicine. Some were even known as wise women and some were known as witches. So let's just reflect on how our journey has unfolded.

It was 121 years ago, in 1902, that Australian women won the right to vote and stand for the Commonwealth parliament, but it was not until 1943 that Dame Enid Lyons became the first Australian woman elected to the House of Representatives. She was a trailblazer, along with Dame Dorothy Tangney—both serving as members of parliament. We need to celebrate these remarkable women, including those among us today. Currently the gender breakdown in Australian local government is nearly equal, with 50.9 per cent male and 49.1 per cent female representation. In the House of Representatives, as of January 2023, 58 of the 151 members are women, and 42 of the 76 senators are women.

Having served previously as mayor of the City of Wanneroo and on both the Western Australian and the Australian local government associations, I have had the privilege of collaborating with many talented men and women. The issues we face as women included concerns about whether we were respected and whether our opinions were valued, whether we were treated as equals and taken seriously, and whether we encountered harassment or sexual innuendo. It was disheartening to know that, in 2021, a report revealed that one in three people working for parliamentary offices had experienced sexual harassment. This report unveiled a deeply concerning culture of abuse within government offices.

Soon I will be reading in parliament a speech written by Alexis Pallister, a visionary young woman in my electorate. Alexis has written that respect for women was the change she wanted to see for a better future for generations of young women. She raised the devastating loss of 43 women this year alone to gendered violence. She asked these questions: Why is this violence so normalised and where does it stem from? Could it be a lack of respect for women which in turn creates a culture whereby gendered violence is normalised, as women are seen as less? Alexis asked: If respect is one piece of this violent puzzle, are women being respected in parliament? And, if they are not being respected, what sort of precedent is that setting for our country?

Today, as the representative for Pearce in the House of Representatives within the Albanese Labor government, I can proudly say that I am treated as an equal within the ALP team and that our leader truly admires, respects and values the opinions of all of his colleagues, both male and female. I am pleased that the Albanese Labor government moved swiftly to introduce a code of conduct for parliamentarians, staffers and all employees in parliamentary workplaces, coupled with mandatory training for all to ensure a safe, respectful workplace.

Change will not occur overnight, but it is underway. Were there similarities I could draw on faced by women working in different tiers of government? Yes, there were, and we can do more. We can draw inspiration from the courage of women standing up, from our Matildas team inspiring a new generation of girls and boys to engage in sport and from the achievements of women in various fields across the nation who are excelling in their chosen professions. The future holds great promise. It's heartening to witness more women stepping into roles at local and other levels of government, bringing balance and a fresh perspective to their jobs. We can all advance through empowerment, standing tall and supporting one another with the belief and commitment that you can and will make a difference. It is this broad progress and these values that will inspire young women like Alexis and young men to become future leaders in our community, knowing that they will be supported in their chosen journeys.

See this speech in context