Page 521 - Week 02 - Thursday, 3 March 1994

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .

---

CHIEF MINISTER FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTION

Question No. 1183

Man of the Year Award

MR CORNWELL - Asked the Chief Minister on notice on 11 February 1994:

1. Is it a fact that the ACT Government is involved in sponsoring an ACT Citizen of the Year award and an ACT Woman of the Year Award.

2. As both awards are open to women but only the former to men, does this constitute discrimination; if not, why not.

3. Will action be taken to institute an ACT Man of the Year award; if not, why not.

MS FOLLETT - the answer to the Member's question is as follows:

1. The ACT Government has been sponsoring the Canberra Citizen and Young

 Canberra Citizen Awards since 1989. The ACT Woman of the Year Award was

 introduced by the Alliance Government in 1990. The then Chief Minister,

 Mr Trevor Kaine MLA, stated that the award was established "to bring attention to

 the valuable contribution women make to society, and, in particular, to recognise

 publicly the effort and work of individual women in the ACT"' and the award was

 aimed at "improving the status and position of women in the ACT."

The Government continues to sponsor this award for the same reasons.

2. The ACT Woman of the Year Award was introduced for a specific purpose - to improve the status of women in the ACT; just as the Young Canberra Citizen of the Year Award recognises a young citizen who has achieved recognition for a single event or project locally, nationally or internationally.

3. The Government can see no specific reason to introduce an ACT Man of the Year Award.

---

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .