FOR. PRESS 22 SEPTEMBER 1977
THE WOMEN'S ADVISORY BODY WORKING PARTY
The Women's Advisory Body Working Party was set up by the
Government in December 1976, to prepare recommendations on the
establishment of ongoing consultative machinery in Women's
Affairs.
. The Working Party-itself was elected from some twenty four
voluntary women's organisations to examine alternatives
and research the ideas and needs of women throughout Australia
in this regard.
The report is the result of nine months work by four women
Mrs Beryl Beaurepaire, Miss Ruth Ross, Ms Pat Harper and
Mrs Valerie Fisher.
During this period they examined information on advisory machinery
within Australia and overseas, and consulted widely with women
in the Australian community.
Both individuals and organisations were invited to forward
written or recorded submissions and to attend open forum
meetings held in all capital cities and country areas in each
State and the territories.
During three months of consultations, Working Party members
received 500 written and recorded submissions and spoke with
more than 2000 individuals around Australia.
This report should be of considerable interest particularly to
all Australian women. I would hope that it would be widely read
and discussed. No government decision will be made on the
proposal until the public had had an opportunity to study and comment
on the recommendations contained in the Report.
I hope that interested persons and organisations would submit their
comments to Mr Ian Macphee, Minister Assisting in Women's Affairs,
by 8 November 1977.
I would like to thank the members of the Working Party for their
efforts in preparing this report. I know that each of them
worked extremely hard. Their experience and work had been of
great benefit to the Government in its consideration of suitable
ongoing advisory machinery in women's affairs.