Parliamentary question without notice |Women on Board and Committees
04/06/2014
The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: I seek leave to make a brief explanation before directing a question on gender asbestos to the Minister for the Status of Women.
Leave granted.
The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: The Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, has recently given a speech about representation on private and government boards in which she says:
We now see gender asbestos. Bias built into the wall of business.
She goes on to say:
…where attitudes that discriminated against females were hidden but still embedded in the workplaces of many organisations.
My questions are: does the minister agree with the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s comments and what does she think are measures that can be taken to address this problem?
The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) ( 14:22 ): I thank the honourable member for her most important questions. This government has a strong track record for its commitment and action around initiatives to increase women’s participation on boards and committees, women being represented in leadership positions, particularly the executive of our Public Service, and encouraging women across a wide range of areas to assist them in developing themselves in leadership roles, because we know only too well that women remain underrepresented in senior positions and leadership positions.
This government has an extremely good track record, not only in relation to achievements in all those areas but also in terms of leadership in terms of women’s representation here in parliament. I know that we have a much better representation of women in the South Australian government and in our cabinet team than the Liberal opposition so, like I said, we have put our money where our mouth is and we have a well-established track record and credentials in this spot.
We have worked on other initiatives, like the Premier’s Women’s Directory, which now has, I think, around 800 (it may not be 800, but I will check)—a large number of women—now represented. We have maintained very close links with various women’s groups, including industry-specific organisations that focus on women in leadership. These include things like women in agriculture, women in superannuation, and women living in regional areas. Staff from the Office for Women have attended various meetings and training facilitated by these organisations.
In February this year—Mr President, I know you would remember this—I announced 25 board training scholarships for South Australian women. These are fully funded scholarships and they are offered by the South Australian government for women to attend introductory level governance training delivered by the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Applications for those scholarships close in June (this month), so you need to hurry if you are still interested. Last year, we provided a further 25 scholarships. I have spoken to some of those women directly and many of them have written to me and expressed how grateful they were for the opportunity to attend such a course and the significant difference that it has made to their lives.
We have a well-established track record. We have STEM initiatives as well, women in science technology and maths. We have done a lot of work in that space as well to develop women’s participation in those high-growing areas. As I said, this government truly has a well-established track record.
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: I have a supplementary question arising from the answer. If this government is so keen to see women appointed to senior positions, then why did it recently appoint two male members of parliament from opposing parties to its cabinet, rather than look at its own local pool of female talent?
The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers): As I said, this government has an extremely good track record when it comes to women in parliament. At the 2014 state government election, 27.7 per cent of candidates were women, just under a third. As I said, this goes to our credentials, which are established right across the board. After the 2014 election, the percentage of women in the House of Assembly is 25.5 per cent. The percentage of women in the Legislative Council is 22.7 per cent. The government now comprises 33 per cent female members. The government now comprises 33—
The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: What, on the Labor side it’s 22 per cent? It doesn’t say much for the rest of those blokes over there. Is that 22 per cent of the intellect?
The PRESIDENT: The honourable Leader of the Opposition will allow the minister to complete her answer.
The Hon. G.E. GAGO: The government now comprises 33 per cent female members. The opposition, Mr President, can you guess what the opposition is? A measly just over 16 per cent. This government has a 33.3 per cent representation of women. The Liberal opposition has 16.7—and they dare sit there and open their mouths. They should hang their head in shame, hang their head in shame.
The South Australian cabinet comprises 31 per cent females. The shadow cabinet—Mr President, can you imagine?—has 17 per cent. Again, this Labor government comprises 31 per cent women in cabinet; the Liberal opposition 17 per cent. They should hang their head in shame, hang their head in shame.
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: Supplementary: the minister may have touched on this in her answer, I am sorry. I am just finding it a bit hard to hear at different times. Where can people access the results of this survey, and what were the major issues that got the most feedback from the survey? I think you did list them but I couldn’t quite hear.
The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers): The survey is only just being sent out and it will be open until 13 June 2014. It is anonymous. It takes about 10 minutes to complete. The survey will be online on www.saplan.org.au/yoursay, or just pick up a copy from the Women’s Information Service in Grenfell Street. The results from the survey and other information about the council will be available online at www.officeforwomen.sa.gov.au.
