❓ Question regarding female representation on WA boards is used to highlight government achievements and criticize the opposition's record and a specific comment made by a member regarding female representation in parliament.
AnsweredQoN 71Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Will the minister advise the house of the current representation of women on Western Australian boards? Ms S.M. McHALE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Wanneroo for her question. The member has been very insistent on making sure that we increase representation of women on boards and committees. The question is timely because an article in this morning’s The West Australian discusses a Norwegian proposal to sack boards when they do not meet a level of 40 per cent representation of women. I am certainly not proposing that the government do that. However, looking at the opposition benches I must say that, if they were in Norway, they would definitely be facing the sack with their 11 per cent representation of women. The women are very talented - I refer to the members for Carine and Nedlands - but the opposition will have to lift its game. On Tuesday night a comment was made by the member for Murdoch, which reflects his antiquated views on efforts to increase women’s participation. I am sure that the women in his electorate would have been horrified to hear of his very offensive jibe against Labor women, which could be taken against all women in Parliament. I will paraphrase what he said. He said that the Labor Party has its own gerrymander based on its requirement that 20 per cent of its parliamentary representation be female. That is wrong, by the way. He went on to state - The reason we have seen some less than capable females in this house at different stages is this gerrymander that the Labor Party has in place. Some people whom I call drones have contributed nothing in a fairly long period. Apart from his general offensive comment about women, I want to educate the member on what a drone is. The member should have got some advice from the member for Capel. A drone is a non-working male of the honey bee, the sole function of which is to mate with fertile females! I do not know which non-working males he was referring to but this side of the house has some incredibly talented, very competent women. He has perhaps mistakenly offended all women in Parliament. I ask the member to take the advice. He has got the wrong sex for a start. I do not know which colleagues on his side - non-working males - he is referring to. The good news is that in 2004 the government appointed 439 very competent and talented women to boards and committees. That represents a 40 per cent increase in appointments of women. That is the highest rate in 25 years.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for Wanneroo for her question. The member has been very insistent on making sure that we increase representation of women on boards and committees. The question is timely because an article in this morning’s The West Australian discusses a Norwegian proposal to sack boards when they do not meet a level of 40 per cent representation of women. I am certainly not proposing that the government do that. However, looking at the opposition benches I must say that, if they were in Norway, they would definitely be facing the sack with their 11 per cent representation of women. The women are very talented - I refer to the members for Carine and Nedlands - but the opposition will have to lift its game. On Tuesday night a comment was made by the member for Murdoch, which reflects his antiquated views on efforts to increase women’s participation. I am sure that the women in his electorate would have been horrified to hear of his very offensive jibe against Labor women, which could be taken against all women in Parliament. I will paraphrase what he said. He said that the Labor Party has its own gerrymander based on its requirement that 20 per cent of its parliamentary representation be female. That is wrong, by the way. He went on to state - The reason we have seen some less than capable females in this house at different stages is this gerrymander that the Labor Party has in place. Some people whom I call drones have contributed nothing in a fairly long period. Apart from his general offensive comment about women, I want to educate the member on what a drone is. The member should have got some advice from the member for Capel. A drone is a non-working male of the honey bee, the sole function of which is to mate with fertile females! I do not know which non-working males he was referring to but this side of the house has some incredibly talented, very competent women. He has perhaps mistakenly offended all women in Parliament. I ask the member to take the advice. He has got the wrong sex for a start. I do not know which colleagues on his side - non-working males - he is referring to. The good news is that in 2004 the government appointed 439 very competent and talented women to boards and committees. That represents a 40 per cent increase in appointments of women. That is the highest rate in 25 years.
I thank the member for Wanneroo for her question. The member has been very insistent on making sure that we increase representation of women on boards and committees. The question is timely because an article in this morning’s The West Australian discusses a Norwegian proposal to sack boards when they do not meet a level of 40 per cent representation of women. I am certainly not proposing that the government do that. However, looking at the opposition benches I must say that, if they were in Norway, they would definitely be facing the sack with their 11 per cent representation of women. The women are very talented - I refer to the members for Carine and Nedlands - but the opposition will have to lift its game. On Tuesday night a comment was made by the member for Murdoch, which reflects his antiquated views on efforts to increase women’s participation. I am sure that the women in his electorate would have been horrified to hear of his very offensive jibe against Labor women, which could be taken against all women in Parliament. I will paraphrase what he said. He said that the Labor Party has its own gerrymander based on its requirement that 20 per cent of its parliamentary representation be female. That is wrong, by the way. He went on to state - The reason we have seen some less than capable females in this house at different stages is this gerrymander that the Labor Party has in place. Some people whom I call drones have contributed nothing in a fairly long period. Apart from his general offensive comment about women, I want to educate the member on what a drone is. The member should have got some advice from the member for Capel. A drone is a non-working male of the honey bee, the sole function of which is to mate with fertile females! I do not know which non-working males he was referring to but this side of the house has some incredibly talented, very competent women. He has perhaps mistakenly offended all women in Parliament. I ask the member to take the advice. He has got the wrong sex for a start. I do not know which colleagues on his side - non-working males - he is referring to. The good news is that in 2004 the government appointed 439 very competent and talented women to boards and committees. That represents a 40 per cent increase in appointments of women. That is the highest rate in 25 years.
On Tuesday night a comment was made by the member for Murdoch, which reflects his antiquated views on efforts to increase women’s participation. I am sure that the women in his electorate would have been horrified to hear of his very offensive jibe against Labor women, which could be taken against all women in Parliament. I will paraphrase what he said. He said that the Labor Party has its own gerrymander based on its requirement that 20 per cent of its parliamentary representation be female. That is wrong, by the way. He went on to state - The reason we have seen some less than capable females in this house at different stages is this gerrymander that the Labor Party has in place. Some people whom I call drones have contributed nothing in a fairly long period. Apart from his general offensive comment about women, I want to educate the member on what a drone is. The member should have got some advice from the member for Capel. A drone is a non-working male of the honey bee, the sole function of which is to mate with fertile females! I do not know which non-working males he was referring to but this side of the house has some incredibly talented, very competent women. He has perhaps mistakenly offended all women in Parliament. I ask the member to take the advice. He has got the wrong sex for a start. I do not know which colleagues on his side - non-working males - he is referring to. The good news is that in 2004 the government appointed 439 very competent and talented women to boards and committees. That represents a 40 per cent increase in appointments of women. That is the highest rate in 25 years.
The good news is that in 2004 the government appointed 439 very competent and talented women to boards and committees. That represents a 40 per cent increase in appointments of women. That is the highest rate in 25 years.
Ms S.M. McHALE replied: I thank the member for Wanneroo for her question. The member has been very insistent on making sure that we increase representation of women on boards and committees. The question is timely because an article in this morning’s The West Australian discusses a Norwegian proposal to sack boards when they do not meet a level of 40 per cent representation of women. I am certainly not proposing that the government do that. However, looking at the opposition benches I must say that, if they were in Norway, they would definitely be facing the sack with their 11 per cent representation of women. The women are very talented - I refer to the members for Carine and Nedlands - but the opposition will have to lift its game. On Tuesday night a comment was made by the member for Murdoch, which reflects his antiquated views on efforts to increase women’s participation. I am sure that the women in his electorate would have been horrified to hear of his very offensive jibe against Labor women, which could be taken against all women in Parliament. I will paraphrase what he said. He said that the Labor Party has its own gerrymander based on its requirement that 20 per cent of its parliamentary representation be female. That is wrong, by the way. He went on to state - The reason we have seen some less than capable females in this house at different stages is this gerrymander that the Labor Party has in place. Some people whom I call drones have contributed nothing in a fairly long period. Apart from his general offensive comment about women, I want to educate the member on what a drone is. The member should have got some advice from the member for Capel. A drone is a non-working male of the honey bee, the sole function of which is to mate with fertile females! I do not know which non-working males he was referring to but this side of the house has some incredibly talented, very competent women. He has perhaps mistakenly offended all women in Parliament. I ask the member to take the advice. He has got the wrong sex for a start. I do not know which colleagues on his side - non-working males - he is referring to. The good news is that in 2004 the government appointed 439 very competent and talented women to boards and committees. That represents a 40 per cent increase in appointments of women. That is the highest rate in 25 years.
I thank the member for Wanneroo for her question. The member has been very insistent on making sure that we increase representation of women on boards and committees. The question is timely because an article in this morning’s The West Australian discusses a Norwegian proposal to sack boards when they do not meet a level of 40 per cent representation of women. I am certainly not proposing that the government do that. However, looking at the opposition benches I must say that, if they were in Norway, they would definitely be facing the sack with their 11 per cent representation of women. The women are very talented - I refer to the members for Carine and Nedlands - but the opposition will have to lift its game. On Tuesday night a comment was made by the member for Murdoch, which reflects his antiquated views on efforts to increase women’s participation. I am sure that the women in his electorate would have been horrified to hear of his very offensive jibe against Labor women, which could be taken against all women in Parliament. I will paraphrase what he said. He said that the Labor Party has its own gerrymander based on its requirement that 20 per cent of its parliamentary representation be female. That is wrong, by the way. He went on to state - The reason we have seen some less than capable females in this house at different stages is this gerrymander that the Labor Party has in place. Some people whom I call drones have contributed nothing in a fairly long period. Apart from his general offensive comment about women, I want to educate the member on what a drone is. The member should have got some advice from the member for Capel. A drone is a non-working male of the honey bee, the sole function of which is to mate with fertile females! I do not know which non-working males he was referring to but this side of the house has some incredibly talented, very competent women. He has perhaps mistakenly offended all women in Parliament. I ask the member to take the advice. He has got the wrong sex for a start. I do not know which colleagues on his side - non-working males - he is referring to. The good news is that in 2004 the government appointed 439 very competent and talented women to boards and committees. That represents a 40 per cent increase in appointments of women. That is the highest rate in 25 years.
On Tuesday night a comment was made by the member for Murdoch, which reflects his antiquated views on efforts to increase women’s participation. I am sure that the women in his electorate would have been horrified to hear of his very offensive jibe against Labor women, which could be taken against all women in Parliament. I will paraphrase what he said. He said that the Labor Party has its own gerrymander based on its requirement that 20 per cent of its parliamentary representation be female. That is wrong, by the way. He went on to state - The reason we have seen some less than capable females in this house at different stages is this gerrymander that the Labor Party has in place. Some people whom I call drones have contributed nothing in a fairly long period. Apart from his general offensive comment about women, I want to educate the member on what a drone is. The member should have got some advice from the member for Capel. A drone is a non-working male of the honey bee, the sole function of which is to mate with fertile females! I do not know which non-working males he was referring to but this side of the house has some incredibly talented, very competent women. He has perhaps mistakenly offended all women in Parliament. I ask the member to take the advice. He has got the wrong sex for a start. I do not know which colleagues on his side - non-working males - he is referring to. The good news is that in 2004 the government appointed 439 very competent and talented women to boards and committees. That represents a 40 per cent increase in appointments of women. That is the highest rate in 25 years.
The good news is that in 2004 the government appointed 439 very competent and talented women to boards and committees. That represents a 40 per cent increase in appointments of women. That is the highest rate in 25 years.
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