FOR MEDIA EMBARGOED AGAINST
TALK BY THE PRIME MINISTER DELIVERY
TO NATIONAL WOMEN's CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL
CANBERRA 8 NOVEMBER 1984
I am very pleased to be here today toc meet you. Senator Ryan
has spoken to me about your enthusiasm and energy in tackling
the work set for the new Council LEt me assure you that
your efforts are appreciated the Government will always pay
very close attention to your views ort matters of importance
to women.
A key feature of the Government's efforts to improve the
status of women has been our policy on increasing the number
of women involved in decision-making.
The reason we attach such importance to this goal should be
clearly understood.
The Government starts from the premise that merit and
fairness should be the basis upon which appointments to
Government decision-making bodies are made. Accordingly,
women with appropriate experience and specialist skills are
considered for appointment alongside their male counterparts.
When women are appointed it is because of their expertise or
because they provide skilled representation of the interests
of a particular group.
Guided by these principles, the Go vernment has sought to
ensure that, wherev~ er possible, women are represented on
important decision-making bodies.
We have had considerable success. More-than 100 women have
been appointed to Government Boards and Authorities since we
took office.
Some women are the first ever to be appointed to the
particular Board Judith Yates on the Board of the
Commonwealth Banking Corporation and Rhonda Mclver on the
Board of the Meat and Livestock Corporation are two women who
share that distinction.
Hylda Rolfe was chosen to head the Prices Surveillance
Authority. Di Yerbury has been appointed Manager of the
Australia Council.
Other women have been appointed to Boards or Councils to
represent the interests of a particular group. For example,
on EPAC, the Economic Planning Advisory Council, Lois Cutts
represents Local Government and Jan Marsh, the Australian
Council of Trade Unions.
What all these women have in common is their recognised
expertise and suitability for their particular appointments.
Women of talent in the Public Service have benefitted, too,
from our policy of involving more women-. in positions of
executive responsibility. Again their appointments and
promotions are based on merit and fairness and again the
policy is achieving results.
When we came into office there were just thirty-two women in
the Second Division. Today that number ' has more than
doubled. There are 68 women in what is now the Senior
Executive Service and more are in very senior, posts. You
probably know of Deputy Secretaries Ann Kern in the Health
Department and Helen Williams in the Department of Education
and Youth Affairs. There is also Deputy Commissioner Jocelyn
McGirr in Veterans' Affairs. The recent appointment of
Jocelyn Chey as Senior Trade Commissioner in Beijing adds yet
another woman to the ranks of those in top Government jobs.
The Government has also judged that, at times, there is a
need to appoint women to Government bodies in order to ensure
women's views are taken into account in decision-making. I
strongly believe that there should be women representing
woment s interests when significant national issues are
debated. The National Women's Consultative Council is a body whose
members have been appointed to do this. Through you, the
Government has the benefit of women's views on significant
issues and take those views into consideration: in our
decision-making. The diverse and representative nature of
your Council means that it is particularly suited to this
task. The appointment of two members of your Council to the Working
Party on Affirmative Action legislation is another example of
the Government's wish to have women's position in employment
improved. I intend to follow this precedent in deciding who will attend
the Taxation Summit which I announced last week: at least
one of your members should be there with a brief to represent,
women's interests.
Involving more women in Government and consulting with women
and women's organisations are integral to my Government's
consensus approach to decision-making. So, too, is
consultation with groups such as business and the trade union
movement on issues of importance to women. The Government's
Affirmative Action pilot program is a classic example of cooperation
between Government and the major economic partners.
I take the view, and it is shared by my Ministers, that we
will be able to have more progressive government and a better
society if long-lasting social reform is implemented on the
basis of genuine consultation and co-operation in the
development of policy.
I have already mentioned the Government's Affirmative Action
program. We recognised that women suffer many disadvantages
in the labour market. We realised that special measures and
programs were needed to ensure that women acquire the skills,
experience and training to compete on an equal basis with men
for jobs and promotions. We consulted with some of the
largest and most important companies in the country about
implementing affirmative action. As a result, 28 companies
have agreed to assist the Government by joining the pilot
program. The program is comprehensive, voluntary and it will
steer us towards the best way of permanently ensuring that
women are given equal job opportunities with men in our
society. It will also make it possible for more women to be
involved in making decisions in the private sector.
Our interest in these matters is more than just rhetorical.
I am happy to announce today a program of grants totalling
$ 472,000 to assist women.
The first part of the program will provide an annual increase
of $ 122,000 in funds for grants to national women's
organisations to be administered by my Department. The
Government has recognised that national women's organisations
receive very little funding and support in comparison with
other equivalent bodies, We believe that financial
assistance through these grants will improve the capacity of
women's organisations to take part in community decisionmaking
generally and in particular will equip them with the
means to research, consult and debate on issues of particular
significance to women. In addition it will provide resources;
to assist women improve services, such as mailing and
newsletter production, within their own organisations.
The second part of the program will be of particular benefit
to you as Council Members. My Government accepts that the
brief we have given you is a very broad one and that it may
be difficult and expensive for member organisations to
carry out the consultation with women we require of you. The
Government has therefore approved a special one-off payment
of $ 10,000 for each non-Government member organisation for
its two year term on Council. This would provide Council
4.
members with the resources required to research the
considered views of women in their organisations on the
various topics on which the Council is consulted by my
colleague, Senator Ryan. I expect that the funds will be
well spent on conferences and meeting costs, postage,
printing and photostating of materials and other expenses
associated with conferring with members.
In the third part of this package, funds totalling $ 200,000
will be allocated annually for grants to approved
organisations for projects to assist women. Such
organisations could include trade unions, churches, ethnic or
aboriginal groups as well as the traditional women's
organisations. Organisations will be able to apply for
financial assistance to implement projects which increase
women's participation in decision-making or to develop
programs for their organisation of particular benefit to
women. The grant could conceivably fund, or partially fund,
the employment of a project officer whose task it was to
produce material for women members and bring about a more
active role for women in the organisation.
The Government will stipulate that there should normally be a
limit of $ 15,000 for any one grant. It has agreed, though,
that where the project was of national significance, an
exception to this rule might be made.
The whole program is designed to increase the input of women
into decisions made for and about them. I would appreciate
your assistance in publicising this new program. I am sure
you will agree that it is important to get t: he best possible
field from which to select projects of most benefit to women.
Now it is my turn in the limited time available to listen to
you and, through you, to hear the views of women in the
community. Afterwards I look forward to receiving a full
report on the outcome of your two-day meeting. I trust that
the Council's deliberations will be useful to you, to your
organisations and to Australian women. I know that they will
be of value to the Government.