THE NSW Nationals want a 50:50 target of male and female MPs by 2025 and have labelled their current gender representation “not good enough”.
This means the party would need to more than double their current female representation in NSW in nine years.
The 50:50 target is one of the commitments to come out of NSW Leader Troy Grant’s taskforce which is being chaired by former member of the NSW Legislative Council, Jenny Gardiner, to ensure the long-term and fiercely independent future of the NSW Nationals.
“In our party’s history, just 10 of our 250 State and Federal parliamentarians have been female and as the current leader that’s not a legacy I want to leave for the future,” Mr Grant said.
The gender diversity of our parliamentary parties has lagged behind, and in 21st century Australia this is not good enough.
- Former Nationals member of the NSW Legislative Council Jenny Gardiner
“We have a strong and proud tradition of representing rural and regional people, and in this day and age that means making sure women in regional areas are properly represented in our parliamentary ranks.”
Five of the NSW Nationals’ 24 parliamentarians are women.
They are: Katrina Hodgkinson, Melinda Pavey, Sarah Mitchell, Leslie Williams and Bronnie Taylor.
If NSW Nationals’ representation remained steady, the party would need another seven women elected in nine years to meet the target.
Ms Gardiner congratulated the party for taking a stand.
“The Nationals have a history of breaking new ground when it comes to the promotion of women in politics,” Ms Gardiner said.
“Our party was the first major political party to elect a female Federal President and appoint women to the State and Federal director positions.”
“However, the gender diversity of our parliamentary parties has lagged behind, and in 21st century Australia this is not good enough.”
The NSW Nationals have also adopted three strategies to achieve this target. These include:
- Establishing a Nationals version of the Male Champions of Change program, which will involve prominent male Nationals promoting gender parity and the promotion of women in the Party.
- Implementing a mentoring program for the Nationals Women’s Council and NSW Young Nationals
- Adopting a NSW Nationals version of the 2015 Canadian Liberals’ #InviteHerToRun campaign, in which community members “nominate” women whom they believe are suitable candidates for public office.
