Page 4291 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 23 October 2019
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acknowledge all of the members of the Assembly who have sponsored a participant to be part of the program this week, including you, Madam Speaker.
It is important for us to continue supporting programs such as Jasiri’s girls take over parliament to encourage more young girls and women into these seats and other leadership roles in the future. I want to thank Brianna for being part of my team this week and also congratulate all the young women who have come to the Assembly and taken part in the program. I hope they have found it a worthwhile and interesting experience.
Jasiri Australia—girls take over parliament program
MS CHEYNE (Ginninderra) (6.51): I too had a young woman in my office as part of the Jasiri Australia girls take over parliament week. Unfortunately Dua Fatima was only able to spend a day with us, but it was very productive day indeed. Here is a speech that she has written for me to give.
Whether entering politics or business, young women face constant resistance, discrimination, social stereotypes and double standards. Women make up 50.2 per cent of the Australian populace and yet are drastically under-represented in positions of leadership, be it in politics or business.
This lack of representation can fuel further sentiments of disenfranchisement and disempowerment. Overwhelming statistics indicate that 94 per cent of parliamentarians are of Anglo-Celtic, and European heritage, with the average age between them being 51.
In the House of Representatives, a mere 30 per cent of all parliamentarians are female, whilst in the Senate the number remains just under 50 per cent. These statistics seem pretty damning when compared to the high numbers of female representation in the Legislative Assembly—go us.
For me, these statistics are a stark reminder of the differences between the Australian government and wider Australian community. Dua said she strongly believes that women’s issues cannot continue to be addressed by men because men simply do not understand the needs, the aspirations or the desires of their female counterparts.
Thus, initiatives such as girls take over parliament, run by Jasiri Australia, ignite and inspire young women across the Pacific to advocate for democracy, political inclusion and gender equality. Young women such as Dua—or, as she has written, “myself”—want a fairer, more egalitarian Australia. We want to see more diverse and equal representation which has the capacity to address long-term policy problems. But for this to occur, gender equality must be at the forefront of all democratic issues, and those already in power must work towards it.
Thus I sincerely applaud all parliamentarians who are supportive of or partners of the girls take over parliament program, because in my view this program is vital for ensuring that women are justly represented in positions of leadership in politics. Jasiri
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