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WOMEN LOOKING FOR REAL CHANGE
ON ISSUES THAT MATTER TO THEM
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Message from NFAW President, Jane Madden
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“We are now living in a different country!” was how one long-term NFAW member reacted to the recent election results.
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Indeed the 2022 federal election was a win for women candidates, and a historic point in Australia’s journey towards a parliament that is truly anchored on gender equality. There are the headlines of a record 10 women in Cabinet, a reversal in the proportion of women in parliament, and a subsequent announcement of 10 women in the Shadow Cabinet. Behind these are the trends of more women running for office (almost 40% of candidates, according to the Australian Electoral Commission) and female candidates outperforming their male counterparts. Women - especially “teal“ candidates outside the major parties - won seats that were considered safe or fairly safe seats, uprooting high-profile incumbent MPs and ministers.
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While gender was not the biggest issue of this election, overshadowed by climate change and cost-of-living pressures, most commentators consider that there was a clear voting preference towards candidates who stood for gender equality. Notably, Climate 200 candidates had women’s safety and equality as one of their key policies.
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Today, the election of so many women and so many women from beyond the major parties appears to represent a fabulous opportunity to achieve much-needed change to parliamentary culture and real improvements to gender equality. In particular, there is considerable excitement in some circles about a female Cabinet minister, Katy Gallagher holding both the portfolios of Finance and of Women - could Australia regain its leadership on gender with true Gender Responsive Budgeting?
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This is where cheering is surplus to requirements, instead consistent advocacy, evidence and careful engagement are necessary. This is where NFAW comes in. Over decades, NFAW - especially through our Social Policy Committee - has worked on issues that impact gender. See further details below. With your support, now is the time to put an even stronger spotlight on this work.
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The new Albanese Government has a lot on its plate in a difficult inflationary and geopolitical context. With so many priorities clamouring for attention and for resources, it would be disastrous if opportunities for gender equality were to be squandered. We do truly want to arrive at that different country of gender equality, not just have it tantalisingly dangled as a dream ahead of us.
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Jane Madden
President | National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW)
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2022 Election Results:
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Driven by Women Looking for Real Change
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The 2022 election results were driven by women looking for real change on the issues that matter to them. Our Social Policy led by Kathy MacDermott & Helen Hodgson of Curtin University Law School (@CurtinUni) provide both an analysis and a prioritised list of actions that women should advocate for from the new Labour-led government.
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Two party politics -- driven these days by fear, wedges, dog whistles and small targets -- was voted out in May. There has been a major reshaping of the political landscape, with voters realigning their allegiance based on values and even hope. This is what the national success of the Greens and Independents should mean. The ‘teal’ independents ran on climate change, integrity, and gender equality. Greens ran on climate change and addressing growing inequality. Labor ran on a mild (small target) version of the same issues. All of the winning political groupings ran strongly on the need to respond to the policy needs of women.
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In the lead-up to the election, NFAW put out a set of papers intended to bring forward the election policy conversations being marginalised by fear, wedges, dog whistles and small targets. We, too, focussed on climate change, government integrity and economic security issues. Link: Run up to the Election Budget 2022 - Media Briefings | NFAW
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We argued that women bear the brunt of climate change – for example, the effects as carers of kids and the elderly and often as the victims of the violence it triggers. In relation to integrity issues, we argued that when governments give priority to their own and insider outcomes, it is very likely to be at the expense of women -- and to be noticed by women. We called for a suite of transparency and accountability measures in addition to a meaningful ICAC, including a gender lens on Commonwealth budgeting, decision-making, and appointments, and the full implementation of Respect@Work. Many of these initiatives made their way into Labor policy.
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In relation to economic inequality and insecurity we argued that both regulatory reform and increased funding are needed to address low wage growth, the undervaluation of care jobs and the job insecurity that is used to pin them in place.
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In the end, these issues were the ones that mattered because women made them matter. Women were forecast to be the most influential single voting block and it appears that that is exactly what happened. Issues of concern to women were prominent on the election agendas of the parties that won. Women were also prominent among the winners themselves, especially in teal seats. In 15 of the 17 seats that changed hands on Saturday, women were the winners.
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Trail Blazers in Australian Film celebrated at Pamela Denoon Event in April
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An electric event held at the ANU late April was attended by some of Australia’s best female film makers helped shine a light on a tough, sexist industry and their grit and determination to succeed where many had failed. Attended by stella line-up for film directors, writers and producers to authors, these included; Sue Maslin, Shella Jayadey, Lisa French, Kim Farrant, Pat Fiske and Jane Castle. The panel shared their stories acknowledging that the battle continues for female film practitioners and need for their supporters in policy, media, activism and academia to not only celebrate their achievements but also to address the ongoing challenges still facing the underrepresentation of women in Australian cinema.
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Recognising Voices that Shaped Australia-
The NFAW National History Awards
For many years NFAW has sponsored an important award for the most outstanding essay on “Women” among the National History Awards given by the Australian History Teachers Association to both primary and secondary students across Australia. In 2021 the winner of the NFAW topic “Women” in New South Wales was Eva Jacobson, a student from Ascham School. She wrote about a fantastic First Nations woman who is now forgotten or little known: Pearl Mary Gibbs (Gambanyi) who lived from 1901 to 1983.
At NFAW we are very privileged to be able to bring you this story. Eva Jacobson wrote so well on the life and influence of Pearl Gibbs in Australian history that she won the NSW History Challenge and was one of the runners-up to the national winner, a male student from Brisbane Grammar. NFAW can be proud of the many students, both girls and boys, who have chosen an outstanding Australian woman for their essays for the National History Challenge every year.
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Pearl Gibbs was one of the important women among many who have been leaders in development and peace in Australia and whose lives should be remembered. She was the most prominent female Indigenous activist within the Aboriginal movement in the early 20th century. Pearl ran a camp to support unemployed Aboriginal workers, and in 1933 organised a strike for Aboriginal pea-pickers.
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As a member of the Aborigines Progressive Association, she helped organise a range of protest events, including the 1938 Day of Mourning, the first most significant Aboriginal civil rights demonstration in Australia. Pearl was the spokesperson for the Committee for Aboriginal Citizen Rights, the lobby group which was set up to carry on the work of the Day of Mourning Congress. She continued to be politically active throughout the 1970s, including supporting the establishment of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy. Pearl forged important links between the Aboriginal movement and other and progressive political groups, notably the women’s movement. She was strongly associated with activists Jessie Street, Australian suffragette, and campaigner for Indigenous Australian Rights, and Faith Bandler, a fierce First Nations woman from the Torres Straits, Best known for her participation in leading the campaign for the “YES” vote for the 1967 referendum for Aboriginal Australians.
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Congratulation to Eva Jacobson who won the NSW History Challenge in 2021.
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NFAW Annual National Press Club dinner - Sponsors wanted!
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The NFAW Annual Press Club dinner is held in November each year, and again this year NFAW has an exciting speaker to inform and inspire you.
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Prior to, and at, the event on Tuesday 8 November, the sponsors will be acknowledged in the programme, on the website of the National Press club, the website of NFAW and in invitations which are being widely circulated across Canberra and nationally. At the dinner, the sponsors can have a display, table banner/s, acknowledgment in the programme, and ample opportunity to exchange information and any publicity material with all participants. (Participants invited will include government representatives, members of NFAW, health and community organisations.)
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Please share this information with your networks, and contact Kate Gunn on 0411 466080 if you are interested in supporting NFAW.
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Tribute to Ruth Medd, CPA, MAICD
Congratulations go out to Ruth Medd for her long serving support of NFAW for over 20 years.
Many thanks Ruth for all your enthusiasm, energy and contributions over the years to help drive critical policy development for women in Australia.
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NFAW IN THE MEDIA
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TAKE A POLL!
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NFAW would like to know if you would be interested in hearing from our social policy committee bi-monthly on policy developments, plans, and impact areas we are working to shape. This would be by way of a 10 min zoom interview which you could watch on a new NFAW initiative – NFAW Policy Insights.
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Many thanks for your feedback as we work to share and inform our members on the important work being undertaking by NFAW and we continue to thank you for your support.
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