Sex discrimination official open to quotas

Tougher measures needed if targets fail to do the job, Australian commissioner says

Political parties should consider introducing hard quotas to get more women through the ranks if targets fail to do the job, according to Australia’s sex discrimination commissioner, Kate Jenkins.

She outlined her priorities for the new posting, which she started only on Monday, to journalists at the National Press Club yesterday.

Among her top priorities were reducing rates of violence against women, closing the gender pay gap and encouraging more women in leadership positions. Jenkins was receptive to the idea of quotas for women in politics.

“It’s not for lack of good women that we haven’t seen them come through the system,” she said. “Targets really focus the mind on getting women through and if targets don’t work, then quotas may well do that.”

Parliament numbers

At its national conference in July, Labour pledged to work towards a target of 50-50 representation for parliamentarians by 2025. Shortly afterwards, the minister for women, Michaelia Cash, indicated that she would be open to implementing targets in the Liberal party. She stepped back from comments from her party colleague, Sharman Stone, who wanted hard quotas instead.

All four main parties — Liberal, Labour, Nationals and Greens — have women deputy leaders, and Australia now has its first female foreign minister and defence minister.

Despite the prevalence of high-ranking women, the overall number of women in federal parliament remains low — a little more than 30 per cent.