Melissa McIntosh (Lindsay, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today, as we celebrate International Women's Day, I'd like to draw your attention, Madam Deputy Speaker, to the remarkable women in my community—women who have broken barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields. One woman, Gina Field, who for over 25 years has been leading Nepean Regional Security, has picked up numerous awards along the way. We have female doctor Dr Nhi Nguyen, who, during COVID, provided a calming and reassuring voice. She stood up in press conferences and helped lead the charge against COVID. She is at our own Nepean Hospital. We have Penrith's own gold medallist Jess Fox, who has inspired young girls right across our country to pursue their dreams. They have been inspired to go for Olympic gold and pursue their passion in sport. We also have women who have devoted their lives to serving others, like Katie from YAMHS, who works tirelessly as a volunteer to improve the lives of young people struggling with mental health. People like Katie are the backbone of our community.

However, we cannot talk about women's empowerment in our local community without acknowledging that we still have a lot of work to do, particularly in getting ourselves off the top of the list when it comes to domestic violence in our state of New South Wales. We need to do more. We need to educate our young people about healthy relationships and we need to hold perpetrators to account. Without this, we can't have women's empowerment. It is an important day to acknowledge the successes but also to remember all the work we still have to do.

Libby Coker (Corangamite, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

International Women's Day is an opportunity for celebration and reflection. On this day, I celebrate that my daughters, Lily and Isobel, will grow up in a fairer country. I reflect on my 86-year-old mum, a nurse, artist and advocate for women, and the journey she has taken to help make positive change. Such change means that I can stand here today as part of the first federal government with a female majority.

The Labor Party has always driven gender equality and progress for women. Under Labor, Australia had its first female Prime Minister. And Labor has policies that drive equality of opportunity: cheaper child care, enabling women to return to work, build a career, earn a wage and save for retirement; the greatest boost to paid parental leave since the scheme was introduced by Labor in 2011; and, now, 10 days paid domestic violence leave so that no woman is forced to choose between safety and her job. I'm proud that 13 years ago, when I was Mayor of Surf Coast Shire, we were the first organisation across our nation to introduce such leave.

Today is about more than celebrating our past accomplishments. We must continue to address the challenges women face every day and create an environment where women will thrive. When women thrive, we all thrive. Happy International Women's Day!

Zoe McKenzie (Flinders, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It being International Women's Day, I rise to speak on this morning's gathering on the grounds of Old Parliament House to unveil the sculptures of Dame Dorothy Tangney and Dame Enid Lyons, the first female senator and member of the House of Representatives, respectively. Victorian artist Lis Johnson captured the moment they first walked into Parliament House on 24 September 1943. Most of the women elected to this place and the other one were present, and proceedings were graciously addressed by the member for Eden-Monaro, but also recognised was the mighty member for Forrest, whose ferocious persistence produced these sculptures. As it turns out, they are the only sculptures of women anywhere in the Australian Capital Territory.

Parliamentarians and the public alike were regaled with family tales from Libby Lyons and Maxine Muir—who, may I say, bears a striking resemblance to her aunt Dorothy—including fine descriptions of the anticipation these tiny but towering women would have felt that day. It was clear from the stories, if not from their stride, demeanour and, indeed, the fox fur hung feistily around Dame Enid's neck, that both women meant business.

As I stood with colleagues from across the parliamentary spectrum, I had the occasion to feel, and to now express in this place, my gratitude towards all the women in this place, both elected and unelected—some of whom, like Senator Jane Hume and my office manager, Julia Doyle, I have known for over 30 years. Equally, the gratitude extends to those I've just met across party lines. You make this place better and more effective and, indeed, more fun.