Page 194 - Week 02 - Thursday, 25 May 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Funding is another issue. There is a willingness in the Federal Government at the moment in that area, and I do not suggest that we need to be combative in our search for justice there. The Chief Minister should note that we have no equal opportunity protection here of even a basic kind, and I criticise the union movement too in that area. It often tends to be male dominated and with some exceptions, such as Jeannette McHugh and others, trade unions are exclusive male gatherings. Ironically, some of the unionists that I meet around the place are also becoming entrepreneurs and taking on other airs. I see changes needed there fast, because, I suggest, we are going in the other direction in the union movement.
We need to get active assistance from the basic labour movement in the workplace for anti-discrimination activities, which will only come from consciousness and education and sensitivity, and will come not I suggest from legislation, because we have found that it does not. I have had case after case in my practice of women who have been put off because they are showing a little more girth constantly. Such an attitude is unlawful in most States of this country, but not in the ACT.
There is also the example of the Schools Authority. I think we need fundamental changes to curricular course content and teacher training now in the ACT. I say that as someone who is married to a teacher, with three adult daughters. The topic before the Assembly today must be, in my view, a very personal one for all members.
MR WHALAN (Minister for Industry, Employment and Education) (3.40): Mr Speaker, last week I had the opportunity to address for the first time all the senior executive service officers who serve within my department. I met the whole group in a meeting room over in Electricity House and in my opening sentence to that group I remarked on the extraordinary and inappropriate gender imbalance that exists in that particular area of the service. Of that group of over 20 senior officers, there was only one female, and that person was not a permanent employee, but rather a person on secondment from the Victorian public service.
I have a commitment, and I have the support of the Chief Minister, that over a period of time we would seek to have those imbalances redressed. While the things I say now will deal with some of the programs that we have as part of our overall responsibility in relation to employment and education, we do in our very own department have to address these sorts of issues. We hope that over a period of time, without disruption, we will provide opportunities too.
On 18 November last year, State and Commonwealth Ministers of labour launched the Australian women's employment strategy, which identifies a set of national goals designed to improve the employment status of women in Australia. This strategy was endorsed by the ACT Minister for
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .