SA parliament now houses 17 talented female MPs

The “testosterone-fuelled chest-beating” soundtrack of past Question Times could finally change its turn as women MPs fill SA’s parliament.

GIRL power dominated at the polls, with 17 talented women elected to the 47-seat House of Assembly- six more than in the 2018 count.

With seven new faces Labor doubled its number of female MPs to 14, one more than its male representation.

Three took seats from Liberal women MPs.

The Liberals have two new faces in Ashton Hurn and Penny Pratt who won seats previously held by men.

Vickie Chapman will be their only female colleague on the Opposition benches.

Premier Peter Malinauskas appointed six women to his 15-member Cabinet team and has Susan Close as his deputy.

Mr Malinauskas said he was proud that six of his new ministers were women with two more, Rhiannon Pearce and Emily Bourke, appointed parliamentary secretaries.

“It’s one of the greatest representations of females at the senior government level we’ve seen in the history of South Australia,” he said.

“In terms of the make-up of the cabinet, what you’ll see is that it’s very diverse, it’s progressive and it’s modern.”

Labor MPs Lucy Hood, Rhiannon Pearce, Deputy Premier Susan Close, Erin Thompson and Olivia Savvas at Light's Vision, Montefiore Hill. Picture: Emma Brasier.

So will the record number of women MPs make any difference to the sometimes boisterous, occasionally riotous conduct in the bear pit of Question Time in the House?

Will there be a cultural change for the better? Or will there be “mean girls” cliques, akin to the alleged bullying drama sweeping federal Labor?

In Mike Rann’s tenure as premier from 2002 to 2011, his then treasurer Kevin Foley and transport minister Patrick Conlon were painted by critics as being high on testosterone as insults were repeatedly hurled across the House.

One female commentator referred to the “brutish male atmosphere” in parliament at the time and described the soundtrack of the Rann era as “testosterone-fuelled chest-beating.”

The soundtrack will no doubt change after Labor victories by sitting female MPs in Port Adelaide, Ramsay, Enfield, Badcoe, Hurtle Vale, Reynell and Torrens, and by female candidates in King, Newland, Adelaide, Davenport and Elder were confirmed early in the week. Sarah Andrews in Gibson and Catherine Hutchesson in Waite were confirmed later in the week.

Deputy Premier Ms Close predicts positive cultural change.

“Having more talented women in parliament makes it more representative of the people we strive to represent,” she said. “It also means we are drawing on the full range of talent and life experience in the wider community.

“Research shows that businesses with women at the helm perform better than the average and have strong corporate cultures, and I expect the parliament with this outstanding group of new women will be no different.”

Ms Andrews said: “Throughout the campaign women candidates and MPs have been supporting each other to achieve.”

Deputy Premier Susan Close. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Ms Andrews was the state director of Professionals Australia, the union representing professionals in science, IT, pharmacy, management, architecture and surveying. She was at the forefront of fights against attempts by the former Labor and Liberal governments,to cut hundreds of pathology jobs including the prospect of privatisation before the pandemic hit.

“We do this because we want to make a positive difference in our communities. Our shared experience of being working women unites us.

“I know that, as a woman, I was making positive connections with people as I sought their support. I look forward to a parliament in which women’s voices must be heard,” she told the Sunday Mail.

In Waite, Catherine Hutchesson had a nail biting week to see if she had been successful in her second tilt in a largely four-way contest against the sitting former Liberal Sam Duluk, Liberal candidate Alexander Hyde and independent Heather Holmes-Ross.

Ms Hutchesson was an industrial advocate for the Finance Sector Union as well as being a CFS volunteer.

“It’s wonderful that the SA Labor Party will have such a strong contingent of female MP’s, all with different backgrounds and experience,” she said.

“I believe this will lead to a fresh perspective in terms of policy discussion and the way parliament operates as a whole. I’m looking forward to the future.”

The female touch:

LABOR

New MPs

Adelaide – Lucy Hood. Grew up in Naracoorte, was a journalist with The Advertiser then political adviser to then-premier Jay Weatherill and more recently adviser to now-Premier Peter Malinauskas, and is a marriage celebrant.

Davenport – Erin Thompson. The Onkaparinga mayor was a communications office for Unley Council and joined the Labor Party last year.

Elder – Nadia Clancy. Worked for the national youth mental health foundation Headspace and the Fred Hollows Foundation, was an ABC producer in the Riverland and provided policy advice to state and federal governments.

King – Rhiannon Pearce. Grew up in Telowie in the state’s Mid North before moving to Adelaide to study economics. Worked as an adviser for then-opposition leader Peter Malinauskas.

Newland – Olivia Savvas. Studied law, international studies and French at university, worked as an analyst in a bank focusing on counter-terrorism finance, elected as a City of Tea Tree Gully councillor.

Gibson – Sarah Andrews. Ms Andrews is state director of Professionals Australia, which began as the Association of Professional Engineers, but now represents professionals in science, IT, pharmacy, management, translation, architecture and surveying.

Waite – Catherine Hutchesson. Worked at various restaurants before moving into banking and finance and has since worked as an industrial advocate for the Finance Sector Union. First ran for the seat in 2018.

Re-elected

Port Adelaide – Susan Close. Deputy Premier, first elected in 2012 by-election to replace former deputy premier Kevin Foley. PhD in political science, held roles with Greenpeace, the Wilderness Society SA and the SA Conservation Council. Former public servant mainly in the environment department.

Enfield – Andrea Michaels. Law and commerce degrees from Flinders University. Lawyer, company director, former treasurer of the Law Society of South Australia. First elected in 2019 by-election to replace John Rau.

Badcoe – Jayne Stinson. Former TV and radio journalist, has chaired the Victim Support Service and served on the board of pro bono legal organisation JusticeNet. First elected 2018.

Hurtle Vale – Nat Cook. Former nurse and associate professor with the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of SA. With husband Neil formed the Sammy D Foundation to educate youth about the consequences of violence. First elected 2014.

Ramsey – Zoe Bettison. Worked for rail operator Great Southern Rail and lobbyists Hawker Britton. Was an organiser with the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association and Northern Territory ALP state secretary. First elected in 2012, replacing former Labor premier Mike Rann.

Reynell – Katrine Hildyard. A former ALP state president, worked for former Labor senator Nick Bolkus and the Australian Services Union before being elected in 2014.

Torrens – Dana Wortley. Former primary school teacher, journalist and state secretary for the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance. SA senator 2005-11. Won Torrens in the 2014 state election.

Former Deputy Premier Vickie Chapman. Picture: David Mariuz

TOTAL 14, OF 27 LABOR SEATS

LIBERAL

New MPs

Frome – Penny Pratt. Raised on the farm near Blyth, has worked across the education, immigration, mental health and child protection sectors. Replaced independent Geoff Brock who switched to Stuart.

Schubert – Ashton Hurn. Raised on the family farm in the Barossa Valley. A former SA Institute of Sport netballer, was a key adviser to then-premier Steven Marshall as his director of Media and Communications, before campaigning for Schubert following the announcement former minister Stephan Knoll would retire. Had run against him for preselection before the 2014 election.

Re-elected

Bragg – Vickie Chapman. Born and raised on Kangaroo Island, barrister and solicitor, ran her own small business Chapman and Associates. First elected 2002. Former

president of the South Australian Liberal Party, former deputy premier.

TOTAL: 3 OF 16 LIBERAL SEATS

TOTAL WOMEN IN HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: 17 (out of 47)

CABINET: 6 (out of 15)