
Issue No 102		13 July 2001

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Trades Hall

Alison Peters Exercises Prudence

After weeks of denying the rumours the Federal Government has announced that Pru Goward will be the new Sex Discrimination Commissioner. The question must be asked - is this just another example of the Howard Government's blatant practice of appointing "mates" to various Government jobs?

There is no doubt that Pru is close to the Prime Minister. It would, however, be very hypocritical of me to judge her according to her choice of friends (and besides its already been done) rather than her merit to do the job. So lets look at that.

Pru has held several senior Government positions under the Howard Coalition Government including head of the Office of the Status of Women (OSW). It was while in this role that she earned the ire of women's groups around the country for defunding a number of peak women's organizations (notably the Womens Electoral Lobby who had publicly pointed to the Government's shortcomings on women's issues) and cutting back the number of women's organizations represented at the Government's women's round table consultation. These actions were defended by Pru as being necessary to "professionalise the women's movement" and further, that "we have the opportunity now with the more intimate format, we also think we'll get much more back from women, in terms of those women's organizations".

These comments sound alarm bells for me given Pru's new role. The Sex Discrimination Commissioner needs to be open to more than the "usual suspects" or worse - the favoured few (i.e. those who say what the Government wants to hear).

Pru was also quoted as saying that her successor at the OSW "has to be committed to looking after women in the community, appreciates she's not an advocate, she's a member of the Government's administration". This also is a concern. While clearly the head of the OSW is part of Government the role is to advance the interests of women within the Government's operations at a policy and a practical level. Sounds like an advocate for women to me and lets face it within Government circles women need an advocate cause there aren't too many people who will push the issues for women. It is true that this advocacy may be done out of the public eye but the position is not, nor should it be, just about being an apologist for whatever position the Government takes.

The role of Sex Discrimination Commissioner is, of course, different in its relationship to Government. Susan Halliday (who Pru is taking over from) won the respect of many for her independence and willingness to speak out where she felt there were problems. She also achieved a great deal by taking on issues and working with all stakeholders to improve the situation for women.

I must admit though, that when Susan was first appointed I was a bit nervous given her employer background. She well and truly proved these concerns to be unjustified by the way she carried out her role.

Maybe on the basis of this I should reserve my opinion on Pru Goward and see what happens. However, Pru needs to be aware that Susan has set high standards and that she will be judged in the same way. So there is a number of things Pru needs to do as a priority :-

ďż˝ Be open to and seek out all points of view

ďż˝ Not be an apologist for this (or any other) Federal Government

ďż˝ Not accept that its difficult as a reason for not changing our attitudes and behaviour

ďż˝ Complete the unfinished business arising from the Pregnant and Productive Report especially the holding of an inquiry into maternity leave and return to work (following parental leave).

Pru Goward takes on this very important role at a time when there is still so much inequality between women and men in all facets of society. She comes to the role with a fair bit of baggage and a few presumptions about how she'll go. Its up to her how she will be judged and she should be under no illusions that women will be watching.

Alison Peters is a deputy assitant secretary at the Labor Council

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Issue 102 contents

Interview: Jolly Green Giant
Senator Bob Brown on the upcoming federal poll, balances of power and what the Greens can teach the trade union movement.

Workplace: Call Centre Takeover
Theresa Davison brings us this real-life story from the coal face of the call centre industry.

E-Change: 1.2 Community ďż˝ The Ultimate Network
Peter Lewis and Michael Gadiel look at the potential for network technologies to reconnect communities.

International: Child's Play
Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA has recently entered a new alliance with the Child Labour Schools Company to support a project for child labourers in India.

History: Flowers to the Rebels Faded
With the departure of our own Wobbly, a look at the development of the Wobblies in Australia and their view of Labor politicians and the work ethic seems timely.

East Timor: A Dirty Little War
In this extract from his new book, John Martinkus recounts the scenes in Dili immediately following the independence ballot.

Satire: Telstra Share Failure Ends City-Bush Divide: Everybody Screwed Equally
Communications Minister Richard Alston today claimed that the government had fulfilled its promise to ensure that the bush was not disproportionately disadvantaged by Telstra's privatisation.

Review: Cheesy Management
Currently climbing Australian best-seller lists is the 'life-changing' motivational book 'Who Moved My Cheese?' Rowan Cahill has a nibble but doesn't like the taste.

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