Why is the inequality of 51% of Australians treated as a side issue? It is a pressing social and economic concern that is continually overlooked by mainstream politics. It’s time to change this, starting with the upcoming NSW election.
In this election, and with every election after that, ask your local member to put gender equality on the agenda and remember these key stats.
These are the questions voters in NSW can ask now.
Pay gap
The pay gap between men and women now sits at 18.8%.
Ask: How will you address the growing economic inequality between men and women?
Domestic Violence
Between October 2013 and September 2014, 30 women were murdered by their partner, ex-partner or someone known to them, in NSW alone. Domestic and Family Violence costs NSW $4.5 billion every year.
Ask: Will you allocate funds to prevent violence and ensure specialist services to support victims of domestic violence are adequately funded?
Reproductive rights
In NSW in 2015 abortion remains a criminal offence for doctors and women. A woman’s reproductive rights are described in the Beijing Platform from 1995 as “indivisible, universal and inalienable human rights”.
Ask: Will you follow the lead of Victoria and Tasmania in decriminalising abortion?
Childcare
There are 27,000 children whose parents require childcare for work-related reasons can’t find a place in NSW.
Ask: How will you increase the supply of affordable, high quality early childhood education?
Discrimination
One in two women in Australia experience discrimination in the workplace during their pregnancy, parental leave or on their return to work.
Ask: How will you address gender-based workplace discrimination?
Women in parliament
NSW has the lowest proportion of women in Parliament out of any State, at 24.4%.
Ask: What will you do to boost the representation of women in politics?
Sexual harassment
One in 5 Australians have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace from the age of 15.
Ask: Will you in invest in educational programs to stem this?
What other issues will you be asking about at the your next election? Let us know below