Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to talk about the Pathways to Politics for Women program. The program was recently run in Western Australia for the first time. I had the privilege of attending their recent graduation. It is about increasing the number of women in politics by equipping women with the skills to embrace political ambition and thrive as political leaders. It involved political training, workshops, mentoring and career-long support. It is about confidence and clarity about their future that they can have the opportunity to talk about in a supportive and safe environment.

As I said, it's the first year that this program's been run in Western Australia. It's the first time the program has been run nationally. But it's been running in Melbourne now for approximately nine years. There are 160 women who have completed this program this year, and there were 20 wonderful graduates in Western Australia, including six women from the regions and three First Nations women. This was a diverse cohort of women: single mums, people with disabilities and CALD women with amazing, diverse lived experience. They were women with ambitions for local, state and federal councils and governments, and across the political spectrum. They heard from former, current and budding politicians at all levels, from metro and regional areas, about 'what is your why'—why do you want to do this—how to campaign in diverse electorates, policy and also stakeholder engagement.

This program is supported by Senator Payman from Western Australia, former Greens senator Rachel Siewert, Hannah Beazley, Kate Chaney and Rita Saffioti. The Western Australian panel included Liza Harvey, Mia Davies and Katrina Stratton. This is a wonderful program, and it absolutely speaks to all of the women. I look forward to them continuing their political journey and absolutely wholeheartedly love being part of this program.