❓ Opposition MP Sue Ellery questions the Minister for Women's Interests regarding the consistency of a male minister's derogatory comments about the Prime Minister with the government's policies on women in leadership. The Minister defends the comments, stating they were directed at the Prime Minister's role, not her gender.
AnsweredQoN 492Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
MINISTER FOR
ENERGY — COMMENTS ON PRIME MINISTER
492. Hon SUE ELLERY to the Minister for Women's
Interests:
I refer to the Minister for Energy's comments on 7 August
2012 about Australia's first woman Prime Minister when he used the
terms ''cane toad'' and ''peeing on every post''.
(1) Are those
remarks consistent with the government's own Women in Leadership:
Strategies for Change policy from the Office for Women's Interests,
which examines how women leaders are perceived, and cultural behaviours that
impede women from taking leadership roles?
(2) Is it not the
case that research shows that those types of comments from a senior male
minister will deter other women from seeking public office?
ENERGY — COMMENTS ON PRIME MINISTER
492. Hon SUE ELLERY to the Minister for Women's
Interests:
I refer to the Minister for Energy's comments on 7 August
2012 about Australia's first woman Prime Minister when he used the
terms ''cane toad'' and ''peeing on every post''.
(1) Are those
remarks consistent with the government's own Women in Leadership:
Strategies for Change policy from the Office for Women's Interests,
which examines how women leaders are perceived, and cultural behaviours that
impede women from taking leadership roles?
(2) Is it not the
case that research shows that those types of comments from a senior male
minister will deter other women from seeking public office?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Firstly,
let me answer it this way: the minister's answer had nothing to do with
the Prime Minister being a woman. He was actually referring to, in generality,
what he called her. She happens to be a woman, but that was not why he was
saying she was a cane toad and ''peeing on posts'', or whatever
it was that he said. If he had referred to the Prime Minister in her role as
the Prime Minister and as a woman, I would be tearing strips off the minister,
but he did not. He just referred to the Prime Minister. It had nothing to do
with being a woman at all.
Hon Sue Ellery : G o and read your own research. Go and
read the document!
The PRESIDENT : Order!
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY : Whether t he Prime Minister of
Australia is a man or a woman, it makes no difference. The comments that Hon Peter
Collier made, he would make again. It would not matter as to gender. I make the
point again: if he had referred to the Prime Minister as a woman, and then a
cane toad and ''peeing on posts'', I would have torn strips off
him.
let me answer it this way: the minister's answer had nothing to do with
the Prime Minister being a woman. He was actually referring to, in generality,
what he called her. She happens to be a woman, but that was not why he was
saying she was a cane toad and ''peeing on posts'', or whatever
it was that he said. If he had referred to the Prime Minister in her role as
the Prime Minister and as a woman, I would be tearing strips off the minister,
but he did not. He just referred to the Prime Minister. It had nothing to do
with being a woman at all.
Hon Sue Ellery : G o and read your own research. Go and
read the document!
The PRESIDENT : Order!
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY : Whether t he Prime Minister of
Australia is a man or a woman, it makes no difference. The comments that Hon Peter
Collier made, he would make again. It would not matter as to gender. I make the
point again: if he had referred to the Prime Minister as a woman, and then a
cane toad and ''peeing on posts'', I would have torn strips off
him.
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