To say the past week has been disappointing for those in favour of gender equality in Australia is an understatement.
Eric Abetz supported research which claims a link between abortion and breast cancer, Christopher Pyne said that women aren’t as likely to be dentists and lawyers as they are nurses or teachers, and the Victorian Young Liberals have used highly objectionable language in regards to women and the LGBT community.
At the very best these views are ill-informed and this collective lack of understanding raises more questions about the government’s attitude towards women. Increasingly it seems the “women problem” doesn’t just attach to a single member of parliament as much as it appears to apply to the entire ministry. Whether it’s motivated by a lack of understanding or something more sinister, and whether they recognise it or not, addressing this problem is in the government’s best interests. After all, women do comprise half the electorate.
Tony Abbott has recently been reaffirming his commitment to having Australia “open for business” and he has said on more than one occasion that his government is not like the old management. If he were a CEO what sort of leadership would be required in the face of this type of perceived problem?
As a starting point an effective CEO would recognise the problem and set a course of action. If the Prime Minister, the Minister for Women no less, is keen to turn this potential crisis into a potential win, he could start here.
- Elevate more women to cabinet – There are a bevy of capable women in the Liberal Party who could step-up into Cabinet roles. Pay attention to the performance of current Cabinet members; are they really the best candidates for the role? If not, make a leadership call and promote new members.
- Ditch the PPL policy and increase access to childcare – Listen to the message your stakeholders have delivered. Leaders from business and the community, the Productivity Commission, early childhood educators and women have called for the PPL scheme to be disbanded in place of greater childcare support.
- Have the Liberal party and all staffers – male and female – undertake unconscious bias training – Alan Joyce put his top 500 managers through unconscious bias training to ensure they could be more inclusive.
- Take advice from credible and supported experts – Cabinet ministers should not be citing dated and rejected research. As a Prime Minister who wants to focus on the economy and job creation, look to the potential of women. The analysis around diversity is proven: more diverse groups make better decisions so when you seek advice look at whom you’re seeking it from.
- Create a women’s council that reports directly to Cabinet – The Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Council is there to build a stronger relationship between business and government. Set up an equivalent to ensure gender equality is a priority at the highest levels across all policy areas.
- Walk the talk – Authenticity from leaders is vital. You describe yourself as a feminist and have said you support women’s empowerment. How can you demonstrate these are not merely words? What actions, targets and programs can you implement to advance the cause of Australian women and support your assertion that you care?
If he chooses, Abbott can ensure his government champion gender equality but it will require some action and positive leadership. On the face of it, it might seem an unlikely course of action but if he wants to win any votes from women he’d be wise to consider it.