Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 456 standing in my name relating to gender equality.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) this week the Minister for Education, Mr Christopher Pyne, has won the most sexist politician for 2014 in the 22nd annual Ernie Awards, with his claim that his university loan interest hikes will not disproportionately impact women because 'they will not be able to earn the high incomes that dentists and lawyers will earn',

(ii) the Prime Minister, Mr Tony Abbott, has previously won the same award in 2002, 2010 and 2011,

(iii) in 2014, the political category received the highest number of nominees, and most were sitting federal parliamentarians, including:

(iv) sexism undermines efforts to achieve gender equality and as Ms Emma Watson said in her address to the United Nations recently, 'Men—I would like to take this opportunity to extend your formal invitation. Gender equality is your issue too'; and

(b) calls on all federal members of Parliament who are nominated for the Ernie Awards to accept that we are not in the 1950s and to proactively work toward achieving gender equality.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This motion is frivolous and demeaning of the needs of women and is expressed in a collage of confused words that fail to advance the cause of gender equality which we in this parliament should all be committed to. The motion is another stark illustration of the underwhelming level of debate that the Greens and their craving for media attention bring to this place. I am sure that those who support and work hard to advance the cause of gender equality would support the view that Senator Waters would achieve more in the quest and make a greater contribution to the cause of gender equality if she spent as much time fighting for and supporting the gender equality cause as she does drafting notices of motion that make no discernible difference whatsoever to the lives of Australian women. Clearly the women of Australia are entitled to expect more from the Greens and in particular Senator Waters. However, I do not expect they will get it.

Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement as someone named in this motion.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Frankly, I am appalled at this motion, because I think it is sexist in itself. Senator Waters has clearly identified only males who have been nominated for the Ernie Awards, and there has been a long list of females who have won Ernie Awards. I would suggest that Senator Waters' motion displays an element of man-hating sexism, and it has no business being on the Notice Paper whatsoever.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by Senator Waters, as amended, be agreed to.