The Liberal Party selects candidates on merit, rather than limiting a selection process to considerations based on gender alone.
An artificially contrived quota system which is designed to increase the number of women selected as parliamentary candidates ultimately encourages and leads to the negative and belittling statement “she only got there because she is a woman”.
I competed against a number of female and male candidates for the opportunity to stand for election to represent the Liberal Party, and was selected on the basis of merit. I am proud to represent a political party that believes that the selection of women for Parliament should recognise merit and excellence, rather than have a self-limiting focus based on a unilateral quota, which could be interpreted as existing to placate and appease women rather than promote excellence and advance the cause of Australian women.
The Coalition holds the view that the appointment of women to positions for reasons other than merit and excellence could be counterproductive and work against their long term interests. It is clearly discriminatory and unfair to treat women as if they don’t have the qualities to reach the top by themselves.
Perhaps a culture that promotes the achievements, capacity, skills and educational accomplishments of women would do more to encourage their selection and longer term advancement rather than forcing organisations or political parties to fulfil artificially contrived quotas.
It is interesting to note that some in politics who favour and advocate the value of rigid quotas for women are often driven by factional and other alliances in their quest to achieve the discriminatory promotion of women.
The Labor Party now faces a dilemma in its selection of a candidate for the safe Labor Seat of Batman.
Given the howling from those EMILY’s List supporters who loudly claim that a female must be “appointed” to show the "Party’s commitment to Affirmative Action”, it is interesting to note that the Prime Minister, who was herself the beneficiary of support from EMILY’s List, has publicly supported a male candidate rather than a female candidate for the safe Labor seat.
One can only speculate that if a woman is appointed as the Labor candidate for this seat, the assumption will be that it was because of Labor’s affirmative action quota rule rather than because she was the best candidate for the job. Not a great start to a Parliamentary career.
By contrast, female Coalition members in Australia occupy their positions, including senior leadership positions, without the help of “affirmative action”.
Take for example Deputy Federal Leader Julie Bishop, Shadow Cabinet Minister Sophie Mirabella and long serving Senior Shadow Minister Bronwyn Bishop, all women who were chosen because of their merit.
Despite not having a mandated quota system or affirmative action policies, the Liberal Party of Australia has a very proud history of firsts when it comes to women in the Federal Parliament.
Enid Lyons was the first woman to sit in the House of Representatives. Senator Margaret Guilfoyle broke new ground in federal politics being the first woman to be appointed a member of Cabinet. The Liberal Party's Senator Margaret Reid is the first and only woman to have served as President of the Senate. Senator Annabelle Rankin became the first Queensland woman to be elected to the Senate and was the first female whip in any Westminster Parliament.
Eight of the 10 longest serving women in the Commonwealth Parliament since 1901 are Liberal women.
All of these significant firsts were gained without the need for a mandated quota system.
Then we have the achievements of the former Howard government and the policies of a future Abbott government which are testament to the commitment of the Liberal Party to recognising, protecting and enhancing the position of and opportunities for Australian women.
As Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Tony Abbott amended the Sex Discrimination Act to explicitly recognise breastfeeding as a potential ground of unlawful dismissal in the workplace. He was also responsible for the passage of the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act in 2000.
As Health Minister between 2003 and 2007, Tony Abbott was responsible for increased funding for successful screening programmes for cervical cancer. He also listed Anastrozole on the PBS for treatment of early stage breast cancer allowing approximately 5,700 new patients to become eligible for treatment in the first 12 months of the extended listing. Herceptin was also listed on the PBS for treatment of early stage breast cancer with approximately 2,000 patients commencing Herceptin in the first full financial year of listing.
As Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott has committed to introduce a comprehensive Paid Parental Leave scheme should we gain government at the next election. The Coalition's scheme would provide real money to working women, offering eligible women 26 weeks at their replacement wage. Unlike Labor's scheme, the Coalition's PPL scheme includes superannuation which is an important step in addressing the chronic disparity between male and female retirement incomes.
I hold the view that individual excellence, skills and achievement should be the preeminent factors in determining whether a female or male is appointed to a particular position.
As a Liberal Senator, I am proud to be part of a political party that had the foresight to encourage, endorse and support the first woman to the Federal Parliament. I am also proud to be a member of a political party that has actively supported and promoted women through policies, strategies, services and benefits that have been specifically designed to strengthen the legal, economic, social, cultural and political dimensions of women's lives.
And we have done all of this without a quota system.
Yesterday Tanja Kovac of EMILY's List wrote about the ALP's approach to gender equality. Read Kovac's article here.
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