❓ Hon Helen Morton questions the Minister for Women’s Interests about declining gender equity in the WA public sector and the potential repercussions for the Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity. The Minister acknowledges the need for improvement but deflects specific concerns, requesting further questions on notice.
AnsweredQoN 930Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYMENT - NUMBER OF WOMEN
(1) How disappointed is the minister that despite the equity and diversity plan for the public sector being in place for a number of years, the equity index for women in public employment in 2007 is now lower than it was four years ago? (2) None of the targets for the number of women employed in the State Emergency Service has been achieved in 2006-07, and 20 per cent of the people in the public service - that is one in five - still find it acceptable for the staff at their agencies to make unwelcome comments, jokes or remarks of a sexist nature. Does the minister agree that the statistics and the climate survey provided by the Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, Ms Noela Taylor, in her 2007 annual report indicate that gender equity in the Western Australian public sector is showing a disturbing trend backwards? (3) Is Ms Noela Taylor at risk of losing her position as the Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity because she has dared to produce another report that is unfavourable to the government? Hon SUE ELLERY
(1) How disappointed is the minister that despite the equity and diversity plan for the public sector being in place for a number of years, the equity index for women in public employment in 2007 is now lower than it was four years ago? (2) None of the targets for the number of women employed in the State Emergency Service has been achieved in 2006-07, and 20 per cent of the people in the public service - that is one in five - still find it acceptable for the staff at their agencies to make unwelcome comments, jokes or remarks of a sexist nature. Does the minister agree that the statistics and the climate survey provided by the Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, Ms Noela Taylor, in her 2007 annual report indicate that gender equity in the Western Australian public sector is showing a disturbing trend backwards? (3) Is Ms Noela Taylor at risk of losing her position as the Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity because she has dared to produce another report that is unfavourable to the government? Hon SUE ELLERY
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) The public sector needs to do better to address equity and diversity. I was pleased with the plan that the Premier launched several weeks ago to address the issue of gender equity in the public sector in particular. We can always do better. I am happy to provide the member with my opinion on some of the other matters that the member raised in her question that referred to specific reports, but I ask her to put those questions on notice so that I can check the reports and give the member a properly considered answer. The member’s question about whether I expect Ms Taylor to lose her job because she did her job and provided the government with a report is gratuitous. Therefore, I will not answer it. I am happy to give the member a considered answer to the other questions if she puts them on notice. THE PRESIDENT: I hope that the Hansard reporter was able to hear the answer given by the Minister for Women’s Interests. I note that the minister will not be providing an opinion when she provides an answer.
(2) None of the targets for the number of women employed in the State Emergency Service has been achieved in 2006-07, and 20 per cent of the people in the public service - that is one in five - still find it acceptable for the staff at their agencies to make unwelcome comments, jokes or remarks of a sexist nature. Does the minister agree that the statistics and the climate survey provided by the Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, Ms Noela Taylor, in her 2007 annual report indicate that gender equity in the Western Australian public sector is showing a disturbing trend backwards? (3) Is Ms Noela Taylor at risk of losing her position as the Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity because she has dared to produce another report that is unfavourable to the government? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: (1)-(3) The public sector needs to do better to address equity and diversity. I was pleased with the plan that the Premier launched several weeks ago to address the issue of gender equity in the public sector in particular. We can always do better. I am happy to provide the member with my opinion on some of the other matters that the member raised in her question that referred to specific reports, but I ask her to put those questions on notice so that I can check the reports and give the member a properly considered answer. The member’s question about whether I expect Ms Taylor to lose her job because she did her job and provided the government with a report is gratuitous. Therefore, I will not answer it. I am happy to give the member a considered answer to the other questions if she puts them on notice. THE PRESIDENT: I hope that the Hansard reporter was able to hear the answer given by the Minister for Women’s Interests. I note that the minister will not be providing an opinion when she provides an answer.
(3) Is Ms Noela Taylor at risk of losing her position as the Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity because she has dared to produce another report that is unfavourable to the government? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: (1)-(3) The public sector needs to do better to address equity and diversity. I was pleased with the plan that the Premier launched several weeks ago to address the issue of gender equity in the public sector in particular. We can always do better. I am happy to provide the member with my opinion on some of the other matters that the member raised in her question that referred to specific reports, but I ask her to put those questions on notice so that I can check the reports and give the member a properly considered answer. The member’s question about whether I expect Ms Taylor to lose her job because she did her job and provided the government with a report is gratuitous. Therefore, I will not answer it. I am happy to give the member a considered answer to the other questions if she puts them on notice. THE PRESIDENT: I hope that the Hansard reporter was able to hear the answer given by the Minister for Women’s Interests. I note that the minister will not be providing an opinion when she provides an answer.
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: (1)-(3) The public sector needs to do better to address equity and diversity. I was pleased with the plan that the Premier launched several weeks ago to address the issue of gender equity in the public sector in particular. We can always do better. I am happy to provide the member with my opinion on some of the other matters that the member raised in her question that referred to specific reports, but I ask her to put those questions on notice so that I can check the reports and give the member a properly considered answer. The member’s question about whether I expect Ms Taylor to lose her job because she did her job and provided the government with a report is gratuitous. Therefore, I will not answer it. I am happy to give the member a considered answer to the other questions if she puts them on notice. THE PRESIDENT: I hope that the Hansard reporter was able to hear the answer given by the Minister for Women’s Interests. I note that the minister will not be providing an opinion when she provides an answer.
(1)-(3) The public sector needs to do better to address equity and diversity. I was pleased with the plan that the Premier launched several weeks ago to address the issue of gender equity in the public sector in particular. We can always do better. I am happy to provide the member with my opinion on some of the other matters that the member raised in her question that referred to specific reports, but I ask her to put those questions on notice so that I can check the reports and give the member a properly considered answer. The member’s question about whether I expect Ms Taylor to lose her job because she did her job and provided the government with a report is gratuitous. Therefore, I will not answer it. I am happy to give the member a considered answer to the other questions if she puts them on notice. THE PRESIDENT: I hope that the Hansard reporter was able to hear the answer given by the Minister for Women’s Interests. I note that the minister will not be providing an opinion when she provides an answer.
THE PRESIDENT: I hope that the Hansard reporter was able to hear the answer given by the Minister for Women’s Interests. I note that the minister will not be providing an opinion when she provides an answer.
(2) None of the targets for the number of women employed in the State Emergency Service has been achieved in 2006-07, and 20 per cent of the people in the public service - that is one in five - still find it acceptable for the staff at their agencies to make unwelcome comments, jokes or remarks of a sexist nature. Does the minister agree that the statistics and the climate survey provided by the Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, Ms Noela Taylor, in her 2007 annual report indicate that gender equity in the Western Australian public sector is showing a disturbing trend backwards? (3) Is Ms Noela Taylor at risk of losing her position as the Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity because she has dared to produce another report that is unfavourable to the government? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: (1)-(3) The public sector needs to do better to address equity and diversity. I was pleased with the plan that the Premier launched several weeks ago to address the issue of gender equity in the public sector in particular. We can always do better. I am happy to provide the member with my opinion on some of the other matters that the member raised in her question that referred to specific reports, but I ask her to put those questions on notice so that I can check the reports and give the member a properly considered answer. The member’s question about whether I expect Ms Taylor to lose her job because she did her job and provided the government with a report is gratuitous. Therefore, I will not answer it. I am happy to give the member a considered answer to the other questions if she puts them on notice. THE PRESIDENT: I hope that the Hansard reporter was able to hear the answer given by the Minister for Women’s Interests. I note that the minister will not be providing an opinion when she provides an answer.
(3) Is Ms Noela Taylor at risk of losing her position as the Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity because she has dared to produce another report that is unfavourable to the government? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: (1)-(3) The public sector needs to do better to address equity and diversity. I was pleased with the plan that the Premier launched several weeks ago to address the issue of gender equity in the public sector in particular. We can always do better. I am happy to provide the member with my opinion on some of the other matters that the member raised in her question that referred to specific reports, but I ask her to put those questions on notice so that I can check the reports and give the member a properly considered answer. The member’s question about whether I expect Ms Taylor to lose her job because she did her job and provided the government with a report is gratuitous. Therefore, I will not answer it. I am happy to give the member a considered answer to the other questions if she puts them on notice. THE PRESIDENT: I hope that the Hansard reporter was able to hear the answer given by the Minister for Women’s Interests. I note that the minister will not be providing an opinion when she provides an answer.
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: (1)-(3) The public sector needs to do better to address equity and diversity. I was pleased with the plan that the Premier launched several weeks ago to address the issue of gender equity in the public sector in particular. We can always do better. I am happy to provide the member with my opinion on some of the other matters that the member raised in her question that referred to specific reports, but I ask her to put those questions on notice so that I can check the reports and give the member a properly considered answer. The member’s question about whether I expect Ms Taylor to lose her job because she did her job and provided the government with a report is gratuitous. Therefore, I will not answer it. I am happy to give the member a considered answer to the other questions if she puts them on notice. THE PRESIDENT: I hope that the Hansard reporter was able to hear the answer given by the Minister for Women’s Interests. I note that the minister will not be providing an opinion when she provides an answer.
(1)-(3) The public sector needs to do better to address equity and diversity. I was pleased with the plan that the Premier launched several weeks ago to address the issue of gender equity in the public sector in particular. We can always do better. I am happy to provide the member with my opinion on some of the other matters that the member raised in her question that referred to specific reports, but I ask her to put those questions on notice so that I can check the reports and give the member a properly considered answer. The member’s question about whether I expect Ms Taylor to lose her job because she did her job and provided the government with a report is gratuitous. Therefore, I will not answer it. I am happy to give the member a considered answer to the other questions if she puts them on notice. THE PRESIDENT: I hope that the Hansard reporter was able to hear the answer given by the Minister for Women’s Interests. I note that the minister will not be providing an opinion when she provides an answer.
THE PRESIDENT: I hope that the Hansard reporter was able to hear the answer given by the Minister for Women’s Interests. I note that the minister will not be providing an opinion when she provides an answer.
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