TEL PRIME MINISTER
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER THE HON P J KEATING MP
HEWSON'S HOLLOW PLEDGE TO AUSTRALIA'S WOMEN
I welcome Dr Hcwson's belated discovery that Australian women have special needs
descering appropriate-and sometimes special policies, but it is a shame that he still does
not really understand what those nccds are.
Even worse, today he has demonstrated he is not interested in learning by refusing an
invitation to meet with Australia's leading women's organisation.
Last July when Dr Hcwson addressed the Fifth National Women's Conferenec of the_
LifriioLPbrty he repudiated the need to have special policies: " Treating women as women
almost by definition implies that women are different. We can say, for instance, that
women have different health needs, different work requirements and different educational
difficulties. And in doing so, we run the risk of unfavourably tagging women and
labelling all individuals with problems that only apply to some".
He's come a lon& way since then. Earlier this week in Brisbanc, when he released his
Pledge to the Women of Australia at a private girls school, he acknowledged what Labor
has always known and actcd upon: the needs are different of women and it's important
when you put a policy package together to actually rccognisc those different
circumstances and those differcnt needs and make sure that public policy is directed to
dealing with those".
The Labor Govcniicnt has always done this and will continue to do so. Labor does not
need to resort to flimsy one-pagc pledges hastily cobbled together at the last minute. We
have a proud track record: the New National Agenda for Women which I will outline
next week, is a comprehensive blueprint setting out the government's plans for achieving
gender equality by 2000. It has been drawn up after extensive consultations and research
with a large number of Australian women. 5. Feb. 93 15: 26 No. 009 P. 01/ 02
T5EL.: F eb. 93 15: 26 No. 009 P. 02/ 02
2
Today met Sue Walpole, Australia's new Sox Discrimination Commissioner, and want to
take this opportunityt6-cTxprcss my confidence in her determination to fight hard for
working women, particularly her plans to make use of the recent amendments to the Act
relating to industrial awards and workplace aireements.
Dr Hcwson is vague about how a coalition governmient would treat the policy and
advisory bodies that are so important to ensuring we havc sound and appropriate advie
on women. His Fightback Stratcgy for Women document says the Hum an Rights and
Equal Opportunity Commission will be maintained but that ' alternative dispute resolution
procedurcs will be encouraged". What does this mean? Will thc Sex Discrimination
Commissioner be ablc to tak * e on discriminatory employers, or will she be forced to turn a
blind eye to exploitative practices?
Similarly, Dr Hewson says he will maintain the Naitional Women's Consultative Council
but only today he refused an invitation to attend thc Council's next meeting later this
month. I attended two Council meetings last year and found them to bc an invaluable
source or information and advicc.
Obviously DT Howson is not interested in listening to the views of Australia's pre-erninent
representative body of women. He thinks he already knows all the answers. Australian
women are not that easily footed.
CANBFRRA February 1993 TEL