The Liberal and National Parties have once again pushed women to the back after the appointment of the new cabinet.
Women have clearly gone backwards in this cabinet. After the Liberal Party’s factional bosses had their say, no woman holds an economic portfolio in the Berejiklian Government.
Women in the Liberal Party have been abandoned by their party leadership, the most senior woman in the cabinet after the Premier is from the National Party and is the 11th most senior in the Government.
This is a glaring example of how out of touch the modern Liberal and National parties are. Having women in senior positions matters, particularly in the current climate.
The gender pay gap is getting bigger, more women are likely to become homeless, especially as they reach retirement age, and at least one woman is dying from domestic violence per week across Australia in 2019, of which half the victims so far have been from NSW.
Sexual assaults in 2018 were occurring at their highest rates since 1990 but the government is three years behind on its sexual assault strategy and have not appointed a minister for sexual assault.
The NSW Liberals and Nationals have no serious policies to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault. In comparison, Labor released a historic $158 million package which included significant funding for prevention, early intervention, services and legal support for victim-survivors. Labor’s package was also widely supported by the sector.
NSW Shadow Minister for Women Sophie Cotsis said: “Women in NSW need more representation in public life, not less.
“Women across NSW want action on the gender pay gap, on ending the scourges of domestic violence and sexual assault, on rising women’s homelessness and on women’s health. How can any of this happen when women are so poorly represented in the cabinet.”
“There are plenty of talented women in the Liberal Party, but the factional bosses have decided they don’t belong in the cabinet.” Ms Cotsis said.
NSW Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jenny Aitchison said, “Women’s issues have been put on the backburner under this government, women in NSW have been waiting for three years to see a coherent policy on sexual assault and it still hasn’t been delivered.
“How can women across NSW have confidence in this government on sexual assault and domestic violence when they are so poorly represented by the Liberal and National parties.”
