Kelly Hoare (Charlton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thursday 8 March is International Women’s Day. Women around the world will be celebrating our achievements and contemplating how far there still is to go. There are women, though, who have nothing to celebrate. The theme for International Women’s Day 2007 is ending impunity for violence against women and girls. Women and girls who are abused have nothing to celebrate. Women and girls who find themselves subject to violence and rape in refugee camps have nothing to celebrate. Women and girls who find themselves subject to violence and rape in countries torn apart by civil wars have nothing to celebrate. Women and girls who are the victims of wars and natural disasters around the world will not be celebrating International Women’s Day. As we celebrate, we must do whatever is in our power to protect these women and girls around the world.

Closer to home, as we celebrate our successes, we remind the rest of the world that Australia and New Zealand led the world in affording women political and social rights over 100 years ago when Australia became the first country in which most women were granted the right to vote and stand for parliament in federal elections. Australia was, however, beaten for the honour of being the first nation in which women voted by New Zealand in 1893.

Over 100 years on, our national parliament does not reflect the fact that women make up half the population and half the voters. There are currently 37 women out of 150 members of the House of Representatives and 27 women out of 76 senators. However, I am proud to say that Labor has a total of 37.5 per cent female representation in this parliament compared to the Liberal Party’s 21 per cent. The number of women elected to represent the Labor Party has increased with the support of EMILY’s List. EMILY stands for ‘early money is like yeast’ and EMILY’s List provides financial training and mentoring support to endorsed female candidates. I am a proud member of EMILY’s List and will continue to provide my support to young women aspiring to enter parliament who support the principles of equity, diversity, pro choice and the provision of equal pay and child care. Our motto is: when women support women, women win.

While women’s participation in parliament has increased over recent years, 2006 figures show that Australia’s top 200 companies have made little progress in increasing the number of women in their boardrooms. Only 8.7 per cent of board directors are women and only 12 per cent of executive managers on the ASX200 are women. There are only six female CEOs of ASX200 companies and 50 per cent of those companies have no women on their boards.

On International Women’s Day, like any other day, women around the world will suffer as victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and discrimination. In war, women will be raped, families will be shattered and many will continue to be displaced in refugee camps. This day provides an opportunity for us to honour the achievements of women and to recognise issues that continue to affect many women and girls in Australia, in our region and in countries throughout the world.