Push for all Victorian pedestrian crossings to have equal number of male, female signals

UPDATE: A SENIOR VicRoads official has revealed his young daughter helped him to support the push for female walking signals.

Jena Gotziaman, Kayleigh Rockett and Krysti Gotziaman under a digitally altered pedestrian light. Picture: Jason Edwards

A SENIOR VicRoads official has revealed his young daughter helped him to support the push for female walking signals.

But there has been a public backlash against the idea to eventually have equal representation of male and female symbols at all Victorian pedestrian crossings.

More than 12,000 people voted on a poll with 94 per cent of respondents saying ‘No’.

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As revealed by the Herald Sun on Tuesday, the Committee for Melbourne wants the gender equity measure as a way of dealing with the discrimination of women through unconscious bias.

The organisation’s CEO Martine Letts said the Equal Crossings initiative would draw attention to these issues which “influence daily decisions and attitudes”.

VicRoads has approved a 12-month trial of 10 female pedestrian symbols at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston streets, and is considering supporting a statewide rollout.

VicRoads director of metro projects central Brendan Pauwels said he was influenced by his eight year old daughter who asked why “all the crossing symbols were men”.

“To me that’s good enough reason to support it,” he said.

“It really comes down to a ‘why not’ ... we’re happy to support it and give our technical expertise and work through the legalities.”

Workers installing the new pedestrian crossing lights. Picture: Sarah Matray

94 per cent of respondents in a Herald Sun poll are against the plan. Picture: Sarah Matray

Jena Gotziaman 25, Kayleigh Rockett, 23, and Krysti Gotziaman, 27, under a pedestrian traffic light. Picture: Jason Edwards

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PEDESTRIAN CROSSING COMMEMORATES AMAZING WOMAN

Premier Daniel Andrews said there were no plans to roll it out across the city but it was good to provoke a conversation about gender equality.

“But there’s no taxpayers’ money being involved in this (and) if we all spend a little bit more time thinking about the fact that in many respects women don’t get a fair go in our state, that’s an entirely good thing,” he said.

However, Shadow Minister for Women Georgie Crozier said the move would make zero difference to improving anyone’s life.

“Women would prefer safer roads, better footpaths and less congestion on roads instead of this condescending madness from Daniel Andrews,” he said.

Equality Minister Martin Foley said he hadn’t previously considered pedestrian crossings but women should be equally represented across society.

Paul Smith, from Bayswater’s Camlex Electrical, said his firm had supplied the new lights for the CBD trial without charge because he agreed with the initiative.

“My understanding is that this is tied to violence against women ... we are more than happy to sponsor this particular intersection,” he said.

The Committee for Melbourne believes that a statewide roll out of female figures would be largely cost neutral because male symbols would be gradually replaced during routine maintenance.

VicRoads has previously backed a trial of a female pedestrian signal in Richmond to honour Mary Rogers, the first female local councillor in Victoria.

But the image is of a woman dressed in 1920s clothing and has no connection to the Equal Crossings campaign.

— with Anthony Galloway

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@JMasanauskas