Carina Garland (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you to the member for Lalor, the second woman to hold that seat, for bringing this important motion to the House today. In 1994, at a Labor conference in Hobart, something remarkable happened: history was made when the party rules were changed to include affirmative action targets for the first time, which were initially set at 35 per cent. It's incredible, too, that one of the people present and a fierce advocate for the rule change, Julia Gillard, would become the first woman member for Lalor and, of course, the first female prime minister.

Over time, there have been adjustments to the quota, and I'm pleased to have played a very small part in working with women in the Victorian branch of the Labor Party and as a conference delegate to advocate for an increase to these targets. When we set targets, we met them, which shows that quotas work and that, if political parties are serious about gender equality and party rooms that look like our communities, then this is a path that should be pursued.

The federal parliamentary Labor Party has met every quota and target set ahead of schedule since their adoptions, including 35 per cent initially, then 40 per cent and then 50 per cent. We now have a government comprising more than 50 per cent women. This did not happen by accident. It happened because of the hard work of so many women who have contributed to the Australian Labor Party. While it was the achievement of those who were there at that conference 30 years ago, when that affirmative action was implemented in our party rules, the contributions of so many others—many of whom history has failed to record or remember—led to that change being possible at that point in time, too. I want to acknowledge some of those unsung heroines in our party's history.

Because we are a party of the collective and of struggle, we know that we work together through hard times as well as good to realise meaningful change. This change—affirmative action—has meant that our government now resembles the communities we represent in this place, which is vital for a model of government and parliament like ours in Australia. In my first speech I spoke about Joan Child, the first female Speaker of the House of Representatives, as well as the first Labor woman to be elected to this place. I've always found it absolutely staggering that it took until 1974 for that achievement to be realised upon her election as the Labor member for Henty. It took too long. That 20 years after that we could implement affirmative action and that 30 years later we can now say we have a majority female government shows that change can start slowly but that a small step can turn into large strides. It is an honour to be part of a Labor government and a Labor Party that places gender equality at the heart of all that we do so that our communities and our country are reflected in this place and that the doors of opportunity are open to everyone.

Gender equality in representative politics is meaningful. It delivers paid parental leave, measures to close the gender pay gap such as paying workers in female-dominated sectors a fair wage, and having an equal-pay principle at the heart of our industrial relations system. It delivers cheaper early education and care so that more women can make the decision to enter or re-enter the workforce. It delivers a focus on women's health, on workplaces where women are respected, equal and safe and legislated accountability when they are not. This is scratching the surface. A gender lens on the budget and on legislation means that we have better legislation and better spending programs.

Of course, the work is not done. There's so much to do so that the horrific rates of gendered violence are reduced and eventually eliminated. We need to do more to address the gender pay gap, particularly its impacts on women in retirement. We need to make sure that women are more-equally represented in all sectors and at decision-making tables, that there is intersectionality in that representation, and that we see women from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences playing a part in decision-making processes.

But it is important to pause to note the achievements made so far. I am so grateful to the work of the many women, including Julia Gillard, who delivered our affirmative action rules, and it is a privilege to mark 30 years of affirmative action as a member of the House of Representatives. I commend this motion to the House.

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