In May, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that the federal ministry will feature 19 female ministers, a record 45.2 per cent of the ministry.
Member for Cunningham, Alison Byrnes said it was an important milestone for women in the Federal Parliament.
“During our first term, we made history and in our second term, we’ve built on that progress, Ms Byrnes said.
“Women now make up 57 per cent of the Government, the highest ever, and for the first time, almost half of all cabinet ministers are women.”
There has been a significant and consistent growth in the number of women ministers over the last decade.
The spike in 2010 was during the second Julia Gillard ministry which also featured nine female cabinet ministers – a record at the time.
“Women are not just sitting at the table, they’re leading across every major portfolio, Ms Byrnes said.
“From Foreign Affairs and Finance to Housing and Social Services, women are helping shape national policy and driving lasting change.
“It means our decision-making is stronger, more inclusive, and better reflects the diversity of the communities we represent.”
Member for Whitlam, Carol Berry said the increase in female ministers was a positive change, as the parliament better reflect the Australian population and experiences.
“It’s important because women comprise 50 per cent of the population. So, we should have 50 per cent representation in the highest decision-making forum in the land,” Ms Berry said.
“If we are genuine about gender equality, then women should have opportunities across the full gamut of society and we should see that gender equality as much as possible.”
The Liberal Party has consistently produced less female ministers than the Labour Party, including in the most recent shadow ministry, led by Sussan Ley.
Member of the Women’s Electoral Lobby, Jozefa Sobski has attributed the trend to party culture and the number of female Liberal politicians.
“If you don’t have enough people to pick from,… if you’re so unbalanced that you’ve got so few women, of course you’re going to be left with fewer choices,” Ms Sobski said.
In 2022, Labour had the most female politicians by number and percentage of the party, far outweighing the Liberal Party.
The chart below does not include the most recent election because at the time of publication the first parliamentary sitting was yet to occur, but according to the AEC declared seats it is expected there will be a similar trend.
Ms Berry believes that Labour has driven a lot of this reform through structural change, such as implementing quotas for the number of women pre-selected into winnable seats, alongside societal expectations.
“By creating pathways for women, you then have more and more talented women who get those opportunities,” Ms Berry said.
“There’s work to be done within all political parties to ensure genuine diverse representation.
“But probably this election defeat for the Coalition will go down in history as a recognition that the Coalition has not kept pace.”
Once elected to parliament, women face extra challenges especially from the media according to Ms Byrnes.
“Media coverage doesn’t always treat men and women in politics the same, Ms Byrnes said.
“Female politicians often deal with extra commentary – on their looks, their tone, or their personal lives, which doesn’t happen to the same extent with men.
“When women show strength or push hard on an issue, it’s more likely to be framed as confrontational, not confident.”
Ms Sobski said that women face additional challenges from both inside and outside the parliament.
The sexism and misogyny in the parliament, with tension further exacerbated by the media, reached a boiling point in 2012.
Former Prime Minister, Julia Gillard gave a now iconic speech in 2012 that highlighted the sexism and misogyny that exists in parliament.
“She avoided that until she could avoid it no longer,” Ms Sobski said.
“So that was a wonderful moment in the Parliament.
“It was a blistering critique of what Tony Abbott had been unashamedly doing to her and… he was misogynist in the extreme and the party supported him.
“I will never forget that photo of him standing in front of that placard ‘Ditch the Witch’.
“I mean, it was a disgusting stereotyping of a woman by calling on all those iconic images of witches.”
The speech is still referenced to by politicians, such as Ms Byrnes, as an important and memorable moment for women in parliament and for the culture of sexism in Australia.
“Julia Gillard’s Misogyny Speech in 2012 was a turning point,” Ms Byrnes said.
“It gave voice to what so many women in politics had been feeling but were expected to stay silent about.
“By calling out sexism so publicly and unapologetically, Julia shattered the illusion that politics was a level playing field.
“Her speech sparked national and international conversations, and over time, it helped inspire more women to enter politics and demand better.”
According to Ms Sobski, Ms Gillard’s response was a common experience for many female politicians, as well as for women in the workforce throughout Australia.
“(Julia) was not alone. Sexual harassment, bullying, … sexism. It can be blatant or it can be an undercurrent,” Ms Sobski said.
“It’s an experience every woman has had when being in a male dominated meeting.
“It’s almost as though your view, your opinion, your knowledge of an area is trivialised.
“That has been an experience in the parliament and in all sorts of contexts where women are trying to exercise influence.”
Ms Berry also noted the importance of having family-friendly workplaces in encouraging women’s participation, especially regarding flexibility in working hours and acknowledging people’s needs.
“None of us sort of come up with ourselves forward as an individual,” Ms Berry said.
“We all have people within our lives who are really important to us and we need to create that space and that acknowledgement within workplaces.
“In order to maximise your wellbeing and your performance there needs to be that recognition of your private life.”
There is still more work to be done in Australia to promote women’s participation in politics at all levels according to the UN Women Australia.
Increasing Women’s Political Participation by Bridget Moore
“I think that idea that you can’t be what you can’t see is really important,” Ms Byrnes said.
“The more that women see other women taking leadership roles and this is just a norm.
“It’s an expectation that women make up 50% of the parliament. It’s an expectation that women and girls get pathways into politics and that they’re supported in that endeavour.”
Ms Sobski stressed the importance of political education and participation in civil society such as joining a community organisation.
“There needs to be good civics and political education in schools,” Ms Sobski said.
“These are things that I think should be secured in all citizens in this country, because we have a democracy we can be proud of, and it’s very, very important that everybody play their role in preserving it for future generations.”
