International Women’s Day 2024: Leaders rally for equality and change
High profile women have revealed the biggest blockers to female leadership and united in a push for fair pay, workplace safety and gender equality.
NSW
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Australia is ready — and in desperate need — of another female prime minister but the nation must first do more to pay women fairly, keep them safe at work and encourage them to take on unconventional jobs, some of the country’s most prominent women say.
Female leaders from across politics, entertainment, sport and law told The Daily Telegraph where the nation is lacking on female empowerment to mark International Women’s Day.
JULIE BISHOP
Former Australian Foreign Minister, and the first woman to take on the role, Julie Bishop has high hopes for the nation’s girls.
The one-time Liberal deputy leader believes the nation is ready to see a woman at its helm in the future — but we must first push for a strong pipeline of female talent in politics.
“No nation can reach its full potential unless and until it embraces the skills, talents, ideas and perspectives of all its citizens, including the 50 per cent or more of its population who are women,” she told the Telegraph just days after the Liberal Party preselected a man from the Eastern Suburbs to replace Scott Morrison in his Sutherland Shire seat.
“There needs to be a conscious and dedicated effort to attract and encourage more capable women to stand for election.”
Ms Bishop points to the growing number of female State Premiers that have thrives across Australian states as a sign there could once again be a female leader in coming years.
She’d like to see women encouraged to take on STEM subjects, including AI, and urged the Albanese government to make this a priority.
CHANEL CONTOS
Consent education campaigner Chanel Contos was sexually harassed by a colleague sitting next to her just minutes after her bosses concluded an office-wide meeting about a zero-tolerance policy on sexual abuse.
She quit just weeks after.
Ms Contos, who is close to former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, said she would love to see women rise to the ranks of every career — including politics — but a lot needs to change.
“I got a sexual harassment talk at work and the guy next to me grabbed my arse,” she said.
“If and when we have our next female prime minister, she unfortunately will have to experience severe misogyny. That is why we need one now.”
Ms Contos, who has just published a book on consent, is hopeful things can change.
“The best thing we can do is invest significantly in the prevention of male violence and men’s mental health. It’s not a women’s issue. “;
NAT BARR
Australian television presenter and journalist Natalie Barr also said it would be positive to see women afforded senior positions in their respective industries.
“I think it would be great to get women into higher positions in each company,” the Sunrise host said.
“I think the stats have shown that if women are at higher levels, the equality in companies floats down. I think that’s pretty undeniable now.
Barr stressed that International Women’s Day should also be about “women’s choice.”
“If you don’t want to work and you want to be a stay at home mum and put all your effort into your family, that’s fantastic.
“It should be about women choosing and being happy and supported in whatever they want to do in life,” she said.
You can see the full shoot and interview with Natalie Bar in Stellar in The Sunday Telegraph this weekend.
MARGARET CUNNEEN
Famed barrister and former senior crown prosecutor Margaret Cunneen agrees that pushing women into science, maths and technology related fields could hold the key to more female empowerment.
Ms Cunneen recalls being questioned over her decision to pursue law — a career that 40 years ago was limited to men.
“When I was a lawyer and I was expecting my first child and I appeared before a magistrate who told me I won’t be Ms in his court, I would be a Mrs in that condition,” she said.
“That was 36 years ago. (Since then) we’ve had high court judges and even a high court chief justice who is a woman. Women have achieved equality in the law in most measurable ways.”
Although some of her views — for example her lack of support for consent law reform or criticism of gender wars — will not be shared by many feminists, Cunneen is not alone in sharing the optimism that equality is a reasonable and achievable goal.
MELISSA LEONG
One of the nation’s most recognisable faces in food, Melissa Leong, said she hopes the way successful women are regarded in their respective industries, shifts heading in the future.
“I am frankly exhausted by the trope that women in conspicuous positions are difficult,” the food critic and television star said.
“On one hand, we are preached about having and honouring our own boundaries, but when we put that into practice, people who benefit from our lack of them, revolt.
“Men simply do not have the same challenges in that regard.”
The author said having mostly worked in male dominated spaces, she feels somewhat desensitised at times.
The Marie Claire International Women’s Day event speaker said the day shines a particularly bright spotlight to well-deserved moves towards a better future.
“There is something to be said about strength in numbers. The more women there are in any room, the better the room becomes.”
DANIELLE ALVAREZ
For leading Sydney two -hatted chef Danielle Alvarez, there is something else standing in the way of women reaching their full potential at work — the taboo around their menstrual cycle.
“Understanding women’s cycles is a very real thing,” she said.
“I feel it is something a woman goes through each month that is incredibly challenging and makes it hard to do physical work.
“There are little things we can do to be more aware and educated about the challenges (women face) that might make them feel a little bit more heard, safe, secure and confident.
“I worked in a restaurant where everyone had to wear the colour white. I feel like there’s nothing scarier for a girl being on her period and having to wear white.”
The Culinary Director of the Event spaces of the Sydney Opera House said she has been fortunate to not have personally experienced gender discrimination in her time in the industry but acknowledged this is not the case for many women.
PRUE CAR
The most senior woman in NSW parliament would also like to see women paid their worth.
In the aftermath of shocking national statistics on pay parity, Deputy Premier Prue Car said its crucial that women are set for financial safety.
“I think we definitely have a lot of work to do in terms of the gender pay gap,” she said.
“(We need to focus on) ways in which we can ensure we are setting up women for a secure future economically. (Ensuring) jobs that disproportionately have a lot of women working in them are paid fairly,’ she said.
Ms Car said the state government had the opportunity to make practical change for women and pay parity was a priority for her.
KAREN WEBB
First-ever appointed female NSW Police Commissioner, Karen Webb said it’s vital young girls continue to see women in senior roles not only in the force, but also in their respective industries
“I think it’s important there has been a first (female NSW Police Commissioner) and hopefully I am not the last female in this job in New South Wales,” the Commissioner said.
“It’s often said so it’s a cliche but it’s true – I think it’s important that women and men, they can be what they can see.”
The NSW top cop said she was pleased to see the number of women choosing to join the 22,000 person police force was on the rise.
“I just don’t remember having many really senior role models back in the day but I had great female mentors.”
Originally published as International Women’s Day 2024: Leaders rally for equality and change
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