Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Ludwig. The Minister for Health and Ageing recently appointed Mr Barry Williams of the Lone Fathers Association as one of the ambassadors for the national men’s health policy. I note that, in 1999, the current Minister for the Status of Women, Tanya Plibersek, expressed serious concerns about the Lone Fathers Association. She described them as an extreme group and said, ‘Remember that this is the group that refuses to believe that women experience domestic violence more often than men.’ And when, as prime ministers, both Bob Hawke and Paul Keating refused to meet with Barry Williams, Minister Plibersek then stated that she was proud to belong to the ALP because it refused to deal with extreme groups such as the Lone Fathers Association. What evidence does the government have that the Lone Fathers Association has changed its stance on the issues of domestic violence and the rights of women? And does the government believe that it is appropriate for a person holding such views to be an ambassador for the national men’s health policy?