As Victoria’s Commissioner for Gender Equality in the Public Sector, I feel compelled to address some fundamental misconceptions about gender quotas that have emerged in recent political discourse.
The suggestion by Angus Taylor (reported in The Age a few days ago) that gender quotas “subvert democracy” reflects a narrow understanding of what true democratic representation means. Democracy is strengthened when our elected representatives reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. When half the population – women – are systematically underrepresented in decision-making bodies, this represents a democratic deficit, not democratic success.
The data is clear: jurisdictions with gender quotas consistently achieve better gender balance in political representation. Where quotas have been implemented, we see significantly improved outcomes, while areas relying solely on targets without enforcement mechanisms continue to struggle with persistent underrepresentation. This isn’t about political preference – it’s about what works.
The implication that quotas compromise merit fundamentally misunderstands both the purpose of quotas and the barriers that prevent talented women from entering politics. Quotas don’t lower standards – they remove systemic obstacles that have historically prevented qualified women from having equal opportunities.
Research consistently shows that when recruitment processes are left to “natural” selection, unconscious bias and structural barriers perpetuate existing imbalances. Quotas create the conditions for merit to be properly assessed by ensuring diverse candidates are considered.
Australia doesn’t operate in isolation. Countries with gender quotas – from Rwanda to Iceland to France – have demonstrated that such measures lead to more representative parliaments without compromising governance quality. Many have seen improvements in policy outcomes, particularly in areas affecting women and families.
Rather than dismissing quotas as undemocratic, we should focus on evidence based solutions to achieve genuine equality of opportunity. This might include quotas but could also encompass other measures like structural changes to make political participation more accessible.
The goal isn’t to advantage any group unfairly – it’s to create conditions where talent can emerge and be recognised regardless of gender. Half the population deserves half the representation, and if current approaches aren’t achieving this, we have a responsibility to consider alternatives that will.
True democracy requires that all voices in our community have the opportunity to be heard in our parliaments. When we achieve gender balance in political representation we strengthen our democracy, not weaken it.
The question isn’t whether we can afford to implement quotas, but whether we can afford not to address the persistent underrepresentation that undermines the democratic principle that government should reflect the governed.
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