Liberal MP Teresa Gambaro has spoken out critically about the composition of Cabinet and is calling for change.
“The situation we have right now of there only being one woman in cabinet is one that can not be allowed to continue,” she said.
The member for Brisbane is urging her fellow female MPs to put pressure on Prime Minister Tony Abbot for a reshuffle, urging them to “go for it” instead of waiting to be asked.
Gambaro also pointed out the obvious: women are just as adept as men to perform in cabinet: “There are a number of outstanding women in the ranks of the Coalition who would be more than capable of performing with excellence in ministerial roles.”
Julie Bishop told the Press Club on Wednesday that she feels the responsibility of being the only woman in cabinet every day and wants to try and make it easier to get women into top positions. She also predicted a cabinet reshuffle, with more women sure to be elevated into cabinet.
Ms Gambaro said on Thursday that Ms Bishop is “just one example of what the Coalition’s women can do”.
Gambaro commented that her female colleagues have much to learn from their male counterparts in regards to self-promotion.
“Women need to promote themselves more and work together in challenging the status quo. Men have been doing this for a long time – we can actually learn quite a lot from them in this regard,” she said.
It is obvious that the gender gap still exists; the current cabinet selection proves as much. What better place to initiate this change than in the Australian political environment?
As Gambaro says “the world has changed and politics must change with it.”