Three quick wins for Tony Abbott - Women's Agenda

Three quick wins for Tony Abbott

He will be sworn in as Prime Minister any day now but according to Sydney Morning Herald’s political editor Peter Hartcher Tony Abbott is “the first unpopular Opposition Leader to win an election” in the history of the Fairfax Nielsen poll.

If he wants to improve his personal popularity and give his government a flying start he need look no further. Helpfully, I have compiled a short list of fool-proof first orders of business that will help Abbott begin his leadership in a manner becoming of the prime minister’s office. The best bit is that none of it requires much more than a press conference and a dose of humility.

Make equal pay a priority
It is said that sunlight is the greatest natural disinfectant and the Prime Minister-elect could use his new power to shine some light — and draw a firm line — on pay inequity. Tony Abbott could do worse than proclaim his profound disappointment that in the week he was elected to the office of prime minister, in 2013, the data confirmed that Australian women still earn 17.5% less than Australian men. Abbott might like to declare this a national travesty that he is determined to rectify. He might like to ask the nation he is about to lead, on what grounds should any one accept this inequality?

Fortunately the Workplace Gender Equality Agency has already done the hard work for him and compiled a comprehensive suite of solutions that will shrink the pay gap. All Abbott needs to do is bolster the cause by lending his support and the weight of the prime minister’s office. Perhaps he could arrange a public meeting with the WGEA director Helen Conway and state on the public record that he will personally fight for pay equality and unequivocally support the agency in its endeavour to achieve this important objective.

Clarify that increased participation in the workforce is his top priority for women
During the campaign Tony Abbott could be forgiven for not having the time to sit down and really nut out exactly how his government plans to boost the participation of women in the workforce. Now that the campaign is done though Abbott might like to come out and say it’s time to get down to business.

Perhaps he will schedule a slot on the ABC’s 7.30 to clarify that his proposed paid parental leave policy is just one pillar in the infrastructure he realises Australia desperately needs to meaningfully support women with children – and indeed all families – participating in the workforce. He will say how uninspired he is that Australia consistently underperforms in utilising working parents to the extent of their educations, and their intentions, and he’s going to tackle it. Making childcare accessible and affordable is a critical part of the equation and Abbott, and his government, are going to look at the problem holistically and offer corresponding solutions.

There is $25billion dollars in productivity up for grabs and Abbott is determined to secure it. It’s a win-win for him, his government and the country.

Apologise
Julia Gillard’s departure from the office of prime minister has mirrored the eloquent exit speech she gave in June; it has been dignified and respectful. She has afforded both Tony Abbott and Kevin Rudd, and their respective political parties, with a level of honour that they denied her. The contrast between the way they treated her and the way she has treated them is stark. On Saturday night she even congratulated them both on their respective efforts throughout the campaign.

Of course Abbott can capitalise on this. Rather than let the stark difference in conduct speak for itself he could conclude that humility isn’t a finite resource; that he can exercise some too.

Politics aside Abbott might like to take this opportunity as the nation’s new leader to say he is sorry. That no leader – man or woman – should ever face the indignity of having the death of their parent politicised. He sincerely regrets subjecting anyone to that treatment, let alone the prime minister in parliament, and wants to apologise for that unreservedly. Difference aside, he might like to recognise Gillard for her contribution to the country and wish her well for the future.

The upside is Abbott’s for the taking. I will await his first move.

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