Family First supports the motion moved by the Hon. Christine Robertson and congratulates the excellent speakers who have outlined many points that we support. Two weeks ago I read an article written by Mia Freedman entitled “We’ve Come a Long Way, Baby” and was so impressed by it that I reproduced it and circulated it to people I know—of course, with acknowledgment. Ms Freedman picked up many of the current issues that other members have referred to that still need to be confronted, and Family First generally supports them.
Two or three weeks ago in “Christian Voice: Family Values”—an electronic magazine I produce each week—I published an editorial about empowering women to end poverty by 2015. Of course, that is the theme of International Women’s Day 2010. I indicated Family First’s support for achieving movement towards gender equality. However, I made the point that there is still so much more to be done. Women, and in particular women with a disability, experience more poverty and discrimination than most.
The following is a list of examples of what is meant by empowering women to end poverty: action taken to promote women’s greater involvement in public life, legal and social programs to protect women from violence, the promotion of social change—encouraging more equitable sharing of domestic duties, providing greater access for women and girls to technical training in information and communication technologies, and the reform of social services with greater priority being given to the needs of women.
This International Women’s Day we remember those women who still live in bondage, fear and poverty. It is estimated that women comprise 70 per cent of all people in the world living in poverty. We have also raised in the past few weeks the fact that violent rape is now seen as an acceptable weapon of war in some countries, particularly African countries. I note the increasing tendency in western countries to home-based violence.
I never use the term “domestic violence” because it seems to make it more acceptable than other kinds of violence. Violence is always violence. Family First is committed not only to fighting against these tendencies but also to continuing to support Australian women in improving gender equality and, in particular, seeking salary equity and equal representation in senior management positions.
About 40 years ago I was impressed while at university by a series of lectures I was privileged to hear given by Germaine Greer based on her book The Female Eunuch. Since that time I have consistently done whatever I could to obtain domestic and religious equity in terms of female leadership, not only in the community but also in the church.
In my earlier life I organised springboard programs for young women managers, mentoring programs and management training programs for in excess of 3,000 women. When I was responsible for payroll levels for 4,600 staff I realised there was still so much more to be done to achieve equity and sought to achieve it by providing child care, parental leave and equality in superannuation benefits and at all levels of pay.
A member who spoke earlier made a reference to the image of yummy mummies. The reason I do not appreciate that reference is that the woman I married is a yummy mummy. However, I did appreciate the fact that when Therese Rein, the wife of the Prime Minister, spoke about significant women achievers last week she included Dr Catherine Hamlin, AC, for her work in establishing fistula surgery in Ethiopia. My wife and I rejoiced at the highlighting of Dr Hamlin’s work because we have financially supported Dr Hamlin and her work in a major way for more than 20 years. I commend her biography to everyone.
I was personally thrilled to be able to congratulate her and to welcome her into the group of Companions of the Order of Australia some time ago when she was awarded that high honour. She richly deserves that highest of honours that our country bestows. I also congratulate the New South Wales Premier’s Council for Women and the Office for Women’s Policy on raising some of the issues that concern us during International Women’s Day. I pledge that Family First will continue to work on these important issues.