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PM Scott Morrison reacts to criticism after his women comments went global

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has responded to criticism about comments he made about female empowerment on International Women’s Day.

Staff writers
3 min read
March 9, 2019 - 2:06PM
News Corp Australia Network
PM Scott Morrison's International Women’s Day comments

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has responded to criticism over comments he made about female empowerment on International Women’s Day.

Media outlets from the US to the UK picked up on Mr Morrison’s comments he made at a speech to the Chamber of Minerals and Energy in Western Australia yesterday.

In his speech, he said that men should not have to make way for women’s empowerment.

“We’re not about setting Australians against each other, trying to push some down to lift others up,” he said. “We want to see women rise. But we don’t want to see women rise only on the basis of others doing worse.”

Today, Mr Morrison told reporters at a press conference in Perth today that he wants “all Australians to support the advancement of women”.

“That’s what I was saying yesterday, that’s why I want to see an agenda that supports all women like our $328 million plan to combat domestic violence in Australia, that’s a cause every Australian, men and women must get behind,” he said.

“I’m just simply saying I want to see this agenda pursued with Australians working together to achieve it with men championing it as much as women championing it, because that’s my experience.

“As a father of two daughters I have three wonderful women in my life with Jen and my two girls, and I’m a champion of women for them and have a direct self interest I’ve gotta say for all women across the country.

“And so what I was saying yesterday is I don’t want to see this agenda pursued by setting women against men No. Australian against Australian. No. I want to bring all Australians together to focus on this. That’s what I'm fair dinkum about.”

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Picture: AAP
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Picture: AAP

His comments come after global media outlet CNN was first to report on the online backlash after his comments were made.

CNN pointed out that Mr Morrison’s party has its own women’s issue with a lack of female representation within parliament.

“Morrison’s online detractors pointed out that just 22 per cent of sitting Liberal Party members across Australia’s two houses of parliament are women,” CNN said.

“The opposition Australian Labor Party comes closer to gender parity with 44 per cent of its sitting members women.”

Julie Bishop and Kelly O'Dwyer are both leaving the federal Liberal Party. Picture: Gary Ramage
Julie Bishop and Kelly O'Dwyer are both leaving the federal Liberal Party. Picture: Gary Ramage

After he made his controversial speech on Friday, Mr Morrison tweeted: “Today is about appreciating all the women in our lives and our nation — celebrating their value and achievements.”

Other global media outlets also reported on Mr Morrison’s comments, including The Guardian and Buzzfeed.

Social media was also quick to blast the PM for his comments.

Earlier in the week, Mr Morrison told reporters his party was “just getting on with it”, in terms of getting more women into parliament.

He pointed to the 19 female members of the Liberals selected in either Senate or House seats since he became prime minister and a record seven female members of cabinet.

At a separate international women’s day event in Sydney, former Liberal deputy leader Julie Bishop said there was a renewed effort to get more women elected to parliament, by mentoring young women and changing attitudes.

“Sure, you can have quotas and targets and you can mandate equality, but at the end of the day it’s about attitudes - it’s about how people feel about gender equality,” she said.

Ms Bishop, who is steering a new group called Emergent Women, said she was positive about the future given the strong interest in the group.

“Unless there is a pool of talented women to choose from, women don’t put themselves forward in the same way as men,” she said.

However, she lamented the fact that Australia had gone from 15th in the world in terms of female parliamentary representation in 1997 to 50th in the world today. Liberal MPs Ann Sudmalis and Jane Prentice were both rolled in pre-selection contests and Julia Banks quit the party over bullying allegations, to sit as an independent.

Originally published as PM Scott Morrison reacts to criticism after his women comments went global

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Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/pm-scott-morrisons-women-comments-heard-around-the-world/news-story/c5b1816dd87bdc4fe11aedf17778b803