GoinG backwards

Report on the status of women in NSW after the first year of the OFarrell Government

GoinG backwards
Report on the status of women in NSW after the first year of the OFarrell Government

GoinG backwards
Report on the status of women in NSW after the first year of the OFarrell Government

introduction
Message from Linda Burney, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
More than 2 million women voted at the 2011 State Election. Many voted for Barry OFarrell and the Coalition. Few could have predicted that the status of women would go backwards under a Coalition Government. In just 12 months, we have seen womens issues moved from the heart of government, womens rights in the workplace go backward, and the emergence of a pattern of bullying behaviour toward women in Parliament by the Premier. No one voted to see womens status in NSW go backward. Instead, we have a government that is incompetent, uncaring and untrustworthy when it comes to womens issues.

Message from Sophie Cotsis, Shadow Minister for the Status of Women
The NSW Government has a crucial role to play in addressing womens issues, such as workplace participation, the provision of childcare services, domestic violence and addressing the retirement savings gap for elderly women. The first year of the OFarrell Government has seen work on these issues not only stall, but go backwards. The Office for Womens Policy has been moved from the Department of Premier and Cabinet, the Premiers Expert Advisory Council for Women didnt meet for 12 months and was then abruptly disbanded, and the OFarrell Governments draconian workplace laws have infringed on the pay, conditions and flexibility of female NSW public sector workers. This is an appalling record on womens issues after the first year of the OFarrell Government.

Linda Burney Deputy Leader of the Opposition

Sophie Cotsis Shadow Minister for the Status of Women

March 2012 This research paper has been compiled by NSW Labor. Printed and authorised by Sophie Cotsis MLC, NSW Parliament. No taxpayer funds used for the design or printing of this document. For more information visit www.nswalp.com

GoinG backwards
Report on the status of women in NSW after the first year of the OFarrell Government

womens role in Government Goes backwards

1. moved the office for womens Policy from the heart of Government
As one of his first acts in Government, Barry OFarrell moved the Office for Womens Policy from his own central agency the Department of Premier and Cabinet to NSW Families and Communities. This undermines the Office for Womens Policys strong influence and role coordinating policy issues across government.

When asked about the Premiers Expert Advisory Council for Women in Parliament, Mr OFarrell denied being responsible for the body:

Premiers Expert Advisory Council for Women

ms linda burneY: My question is directed to the Premier. After almost a year in office, why is the Premier yet to convene a single meeting of the Premiers Expert Advisory Council for Women? mr barrY oFarrell: I am happy to get

2. Fewer women ministers

Barry OFarrells Cabinet only includes five women. Before the 2011 State Election there were seven women in Cabinet.

advice on that and come back to the House. But the member could have asked the Minister for Women, who has oversight of this body.

3. scrapped the requirement for more women on boards

Barry OFarrell has removed the requirement that 50 per cent of all new appointments to Government Boards and Committees be women.

Legislative Assembly Question Time, 22 February 2012

4. abolished the Premiers expert advisory council for women

The OFarrell Government has abolished the Premiers Expert Advisory Council for Women. The Premiers Expert Advisory Council provided advice to the Premier and the NSW Government on a wide range of womens issues, and is the successor organisation to the Womens Advisory Board established by the NSW Coalition in 1975. Neither Premier OFarrell or Minister for Women Pru Goward convened the Premiers Expert Advisory Council in their first year in office.

In March 2012 Minister for Women Pru Goward announced the Premiers Expert Advisory Council had been disbanded and replaced by a Council for Womens Economic Opportunity. This new body is narrowly focused and will not address other womens issues such as domestic violence, ageing, community services, sexual assault, housing services for elderly women, healthcare, indigenous womens issues or migrant womens issues.

5. seven senior female public servants forced out

Since coming to office, Barry OFarrell has forced out seven senior women in the NSW public service.

GoinG backwards
Report on the status of women in NSW after the first year of the OFarrell Government

election Promises broken

broken promise #1: establishing a bureau of womens statistics
Before the State Election, the Coalition promised to establish a Bureau of Womens Statistics. A NSW Liberals & Nationals Government will create the Bureau of Womens Statistics(BOWS) within the Office for Womens Policy. BOWS will be responsible for compiling various statistics which can be used to inform government and the public of the status of women in NSW.
NSW Liberals & Nationals Womens Policy, Status of Women A Coordinated Approach

broken promise #2: Producing an annual report on the status of women

Before the State Election, the Coalition promised to produce an annual report on the status of women in NSW. A NSW Liberals & Nationals Government will ensure the Office for Womens Policy produces an annual report on the status of women in NSW.
NSW Liberals & Nationals Womens Policy, Status of Women A Coordinated Approach

After their first year in office, this has not happened. After their first year in office, this has not happened.

GoinG backwards
Report on the status of women in NSW after the first year of the OFarrell Government

PusHinG women backwards at work

breastfeeding breaks to be traded-off
As a consequence of the OFarrell Governments industrial relations policies, women working in the public sector could be forced to tradeoff lactation breaks for pay rises. This is bad for women working in the NSW public sector, and sets a bad example for private sector employers in NSW. Making lactation breaks the subject of industrial negotiations contradicts Pru Gowards statements before the 2011 election supporting the explicit right of women to breastfeed. Before the election: Breastfeeding is, of course, important for childrens health and for maternal health. It is an explicit right of women.
Pru Goward, Hansard, 16 October 2007

surrogate parents and foster carers excluded from receiving paid parental leave
The OFarrell Government have excluded public sector workers who are surrogate parents and foster carers from receiving paid parental leave.

no support for equal pay

Before the 2011 State Election, the Coaltion supported the Australian Service Unions campaign for equal pay for social and community service workers: Pru Goward, as Shadow Minister for Women has stated that a Liberal Government would commit to supporting the outcomes of the case. Ms Goward has been a long term and vocal supporter of equal pay.
Womens Electoral Lobby, Pay equity where do the parties stand in NSW? 22 March 2011

After the election: You will find that, as the Premier has said, these trade-offs are a perfectly acceptable part of industrial relations.
Pru Goward, Hansard Thursday 26 May 2011

In Government, the Coalition reversed their support, with Minister for Women Pru Goward incorrectly telling Parliament that the ASU failed to make their case to Fair Work Australia.

GoinG backwards
Report on the status of women in NSW after the first year of the OFarrell Government

mrs barbara PerrY:

I direct my question to the Minister for Family and Community Services. Will the Minister follow through on her pre-election commitment to support the outcome of the Australian Services Union pay equity case and commit to fund pay increases awarded by Fair Work Australia to employees delivering programs funded by the Ministers department? deliver if the Australian Services Union made its case. It failed to make its case.

no support for workplace flexibility

Minister for Women Prue Goward has refused to support flexibility for women in the workplace where she works the NSW Parliament.

MP refused time to drop children

Workplace flexibility is yet to make it to the NSW Parliament. Labors Tania Mihailuk - a mother of three children aged six and under - found that out the hard way. [Liberal MP for Parramatta Geoff Lee] says I dont understand what its like to be in business but I worked for large companies like Leighton Contractors and they were far more understanding and flexible, Ms Mihailuk said. Its beyond belief they cant move the meetings back by 15 minutes. Theyre living in the dark ages.

ms Pru Goward: The Government would

Hansard, 10 August 2011

Contrary to Ms Gowards assertion, the ASU had made its case. On 1 February 2012 Fair Work Australia handed down an historic decision granting substantial pay rises to social and community service workers. While the Gillard Labor Government had already allocated $2 billion to fund the Commonwealth Governments responsibility, the OFarrell Government has yet to commit a cent to fund the pay rise that NSW social and community service workers are entitled to.

Sun-Herald, 26 February 2012

A wasted opportunity for women

Last week, this newspaper reported the dilemma facing Labor MP Tania Mihailuk, who requested a regular meeting of the legislation review committee be pushed back 15 minutes to 8.45am to allow her to get her three kids to school and day care on time and make it to Parliament House from Bankstown. Gowards Liberal colleague Geoff Lee, the stand-in chairman, refused. I asked Gowards office whether the minister would support Mihailuk. After an attempt to duck the request altogether, I received this one-line statement: The time of the meetings is a matter for the committee and the Parliament to resolve. Actually, minister, it was a perfect opportunity to back a woman fighting a crystal-clear case of workplace inflexibility - even if it meant confronting a male colleague. Gowards refusal to act shows a lack of leadership and makes a mockery of the dozens of speeches she delivered as sex discrimination commissioner.

Forcing nurses to pay $10,000 course fee

The OFarrell Government has decided to force nurses to pay $10,000 for a course to re-enter the NSW health system. In South Australia, re-entry courses are provided at no charge to the nurse.
The Coalition campaigned on attracting 2,475 nurses to NSW hospitals, but this is never going to happen if they are forced to pay $10,000 for a re-entry course. The Health Minister has shown how out of touch she is with the problem of forcing nurses to pay $10,000 to re-enter the health system:I cant see how there is a problem.

State political editor Heath Aston, Sun-Herald, 4 March 2012

(Jillian Skinner, 22 January 2012)

GoinG backwards
Report on the status of women in NSW after the first year of the OFarrell Government

GoinG backwards in Parliament

Fewer women mPs
Because of the Coalitions choices of candidates for the 2011 State Election, for the first time womens representation in the Legislative Assembly has gone backwards. Womens overall representation in the Legislative Assembly has fallen from 28 percent before the 2011 State Election to 20 percent after OFarrells win.

inappropriate behaviour #1: called linda burney a Hooker

In Parliament on 15 June 2011, Barry OFarrell called the Deputy Leader of the Opposition Linda Burney a hooker:
mr barrY oFarrell: There is some

current Parliament Party representation

MALE 55%

FEMALE 45%

criticism of the front row of New South Wales. The member for Wollongong and I could add some heft to that. I am not sure which other member could be the hooker, perhaps the member for Canterbury.

Hansard, 15 June 2011

Of 20 Labor Members of the Legislative Assembly, nine are women.

MALE 82%

FEMALE 18%

Of 51 Liberal Members of the Legislative Assembly, nine are women.

GoinG backwards
Report on the status of women in NSW after the first year of the OFarrell Government

inappropriate behaviour #2: likened kristina keneally to kim kardashian

Barry OFarrell has repeatedly likened the first female Premier of NSW, Kristina Keneally, to US celebrity Kim Kardashian: The Kim Kardashian of State politics would not even go near the media.
Hansard, 8 November 2011

inappropriate behaviour #3: likened carmel tebbutt to a whining dog

On 21 February 2012, Barry OFarrell likened the Member for Marrickville to a whining dog. What is the difference between the member for Marrickville and a three-weekold puppy? At six weeks a puppy stops whining.
Hansard, 21 February 2012

There will be no more Kim Kardashians or Warwick Cappers on this side of politics. We will leave to others the Kim Kardashians, who look good but deliver disastrous results
Hansard, 23 November 2011

inappropriate behaviour #4: winking at linda burney

On 9 August 2011, the Premier repeatedly winked at Linda Burney during question time enough to prompt this exchange:
ms linda burneY: Point of order: I would

It is untrue that the member for Heffron is the Kim Kardashian of State Parliament.
Hansard, 9 November 2011

like the Premier to stop winking at me.

mr barrY oFarrell: To the point of

I repeat that government Kim Kardashian style is over.

Hansard, 14 February 2012

order: If the member for Canterbury is offended by my eye, I withdraw. However, it has been a long time since I have winked at a woman other than my wife.

Hansard, 9 August 2012

either mr o'Farrell is unaware of how his comments are offensive, or he is aware and chooses to make the comments anyway. in each case, he is failing to behave as an appropriate role model.

GoinG backwards
Report on the status of women in NSW after the first year of the OFarrell Government

international womens daY 2012

woman of the Year awards cancelled
After six successful years recognising the contribution of women across NSW, the OFarrell Government has cancelled the NSW Woman of the Year Awards. Ms Goward herself presented an award for Goulburn Woman of the Year in 2011 before the State Election:

Womens awards under rug as Goward cans event

Sun-Herald, Sunday 4 March 2012

When asked why the Awards were cancelled, Minister for Women Pru Goward stated: We want to ensure that every person in the community has the opportunity to nominate the person of their choice. That was not happening. It was a very tired award and it seemed to be mostly Labors friends who got awards and we want to make it much more inclusive.
Pru Goward, 2UE radio, 4 March 2012

Grants for local events cut

Minister for Women Pru Goward has cut $52,000 in funding available for local International Womens Day events. Under Labor, all 152 local council could apply for grants of $1,000 to host International Womens Day events in their community. Under the OFarrell Government, the funding available has been capped at $100,000, which means many communities will miss out.

Contrary to Ms Gowards claim, members of the public and MPs from all political parties have always been able to nominate women for the awards.