Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to start my contribution tonight by quoting from an article in the Canberra Times. It said:

While the Liberal Party’s representation of women in federal parliament is smaller than Labor’s—women hold 38 per cent of Labor and 21 per cent of Liberal seats—

and I will complete the party representation numbers: National Party women hold about 19 per cent of seats, women hold 50 per cent of Australian Democrats seats, with Australian Greens women holding 75 per cent of seats. It is also worth noting that since 1996 there has been a 154 per cent increase in the number of ALP women in parliaments around the country. The article went on to say:

… the Libs can nevertheless boast some significant achievements: the longest-serving woman in Cabinet, Amanda Vanstone …

And it would be remiss of me not to mention here that on Monday, 9 October, Senator Helen Coonan made history when she led the government in the Senate—the first woman in our 105-year history. I, personally, would be happy for Senator Coonan to continue in that role until the next election, at least. The Canberra Times article went on:

But while every gain and milestone women reach along the path to winning a fair share of power is cause to celebrate, let’s not lose sight of how small these gains are.

This brings me to the point of my contribution here tonight. Last Thursday, on the day of the Liberal women’s gala dinner organised by Senator Coonan to celebrate Liberal women parliamentarians—an excellent initiative; initiatives such as this highlighting the work of female pollies from all sides of politics should be encouraged and applauded—we were confronted by an article on the front page of the Australian newspaper that was a rather disgraceful, cheap piece of point-scoring attacking Labor women by Ms Chris McDiven, the Liberal Party’s federal president.

It should be noted that Ms McDiven was in Canberra to attend the dinner organised by Senator Coonan. It is a shame that Ms McDiven did not choose to use her first foray into the media to shine the spotlight on the Liberal women’s celebration and highlight their contribution. I would like to think I echo the views of all women in this parliament—I know I echo the views of at least Labor women—when I say that I found this article to be very depressing and disappointing: depressing because it appears that Ms McDiven has fallen into the easy trap of attacking other women—surely we have left this type of politics behind us—and disappointing because to attack women politicians in this manner is reprehensible.

It shows a myopic view of where Labor Party women have come from and trivialises the battles and milestones which have been achieved by all women who have passed through these chambers and in state and territory parliaments. Surely the strength and the voice of Australians are enhanced through a diversity of voices in parliament, be it gender, religion or culture. Surely, the fact that there are women in parliament representing the range of political ideologies is something to be proud and supportive of.

Women bring to parliament and parliamentary debate a different perspective, and the fact that we are women is but one of the lenses which we use when assessing, debating and discussing issues before us. In the short time I have been here, I have already seen that women are prepared to listen and to support one another across party lines on issues. The debate on RU486 was a classic example of the diversity of views not just within the parties, but of the multiparty support the bill received by sponsoring women senators.

To say that all Labor women are sisters, wives, ex-wives et cetera just shows that the federal Liberal president cannot argue against Labor’s sound and robust affirmative action policy. Instead, she is playing the woman, making a personal attack on all of us as people with little talent and little commitment to Labor fundamentals and ideas as well as making a mockery of democracy and the people who vote for us. These sorts of accusations only serve to lessen a woman’s drive to enter male dominated institutions, like parliament, due to point-scoring. Women everywhere should be encouraged, challenged and supported to continue to break down the barriers in traditionally male dominated environments—and parliament is one such environment.

These types of comments from Ms McDiven are not the sorts of politics that we should engage in—attacking women and their families and relations and claiming that there is no merit system, passion or commitment and instead claiming that Labor women politicians are nothing more than apparatchiks. Her comments have failed to recognise the sheer hard work it has taken for Labor women—in fact, all women—to move forward in this arena. It is exactly this type of empty, baseless attack on women which hampers participation in the political process.

Women normally find themselves in caring roles that have them thinking of someone else before themselves: ‘Are my children okay? Does my partner have everything they need?’ Then maybe, just maybe, they will think of themselves. I make no bones about the fact that today there are still barriers to women stepping up to the political mark and putting themselves forward for public service. I agree wholeheartedly with Ms McDiven’s comments that ‘you had to go and find women; women tend not to put themselves forward.’ I could not agree more. But then you read interviews such as Ms McDiven’s and you cannot help but wonder why they would.

I am proud that in the Labor Party there are formal structures to assist potential female candidates. Affirmative action rules have been fought for long and hard, along with the principles that underpin this action of inclusiveness, to lift the level of female representation. Organisations such as EMILY’s List and the National Labor Women’s Network are there to assist and support women as potential candidates and as politicians. I am a proud member of EMILY’s List. EMILY’s List is a vibrant and successful group organised by women for women. EMILY’s List provides mentoring, training, encouragement, support and financial assistance. Labor understands the need to nurture potential and current women politicians. Just as men have their ‘clubs’, we too recognise the need to support women in a challenging environment so that they can develop and continue in this career.

It is a desire of mine to see both chambers with equal numbers of women and men. It is a dream of mine to see women in increasing numbers in senior and influential positions. Articles such as those by Ms McDiven only intensify this desire. It will be great to one day not have to read such pap about women politicians, irrespective of the political persuasion of the press. I would like to think this will happen in my day or at the very least in my daughter’s day. We have come a long way, but comments such as Ms McDiven’s do a disservice to all women in this parliament. Just because we may come from different political backgrounds does not mean that the parliament and Australia is not better served by greater gender equality.

I call on all women in this parliament to think long and hard before falling into this easy trap of insulting other women. Surely a cornerstone of democratic and constitutional ideals is equality irrespective of gender, colour, race and religion. Let us enforce this. Let us be strong and brave and, irrespective of political leanings, band together to stamp out this kind of disservice.