Event and Ticketing Details
Dates & Times
Wednesday 29 October
6:15 PM - 7:15 PM
Current UN data shows that equal representation in parliaments worldwide will take at least two decades, if current growth is maintained. But here in Australia, the numbers don’t look good. There’s just one woman in the federal cabinet, Julie Bishop – and one female state or territory leader (Katy Gallagher).
When Julia Gillard left as prime minister, she said she was confident that it would be ‘easier for the next woman and the woman after that and the woman after that’.
More than a year on, what is it like for women in Australian politics now?
EMILY’s List, an organisation that supports the advancement of progressive female politicians, will bring together an experienced panel to diagnose the status quo – and debate possible prescriptions for a healthy future for women in politics.
Presented in partnership with EMILY’s List Australia.
Featuring
Lisa Darmanin
Lisa Darmanin is the first female executive president of the Australian Services Union’s Victorian and Tasmanian Authorities and Services Branch.
In her role at the ASU, Lisa Darmanin led the landmark equal pay campaign for social and community services workers. This campaign culminated in the sector’s predominantly female workers achieving pay rises ranging from 23 to 45%.
Lisa previously worked at Victorian Trades Hall Council, coordinating the Your Rights at Work campaign in Victoria and in the community sector.
Lisa has a Bachelor of Business (Industrial Relations), a Diploma of Community Development and is on the Boards of HESTA, the Community Services and Health Industry Training Board and the National Committee of EMILY’s List.
Tanja Kovac
Tanja Kovac is a writer, lawyer and director/national co-convenor of EMILY’s List Australia.
She began her career as a lawyer at Slater & Gordon acting in a number of high-profile human rights cases, including as part of the legal team assisting Amnesty International in the MV Tampa case.
After several years managing small human-rights-based NGOs, she is now director of her own communication, leadership and justice consultancy, Kovac & Co, working with NGOs on political framing (the cognitive and linguistic tools politicians use to shape public debate and influence voters).
In 2009, she founded Human Rights are Aussie Rules, a national education program teaching young people about freedom, respect, equality and dignity through sport, working alongside the AFL and others.
Tanja’s writing has appeared in the Age, the Daily Telegraph, the Australian, the Canberra Times, The Punch and Crikey.
Karen Pickering
Karen Pickering is a feminist writer and organiser. Her previous work includes running the events Cherchez La Femme and Girls On Film Festival, writing the books About Bloody Time and Doing It, and her next book on motherhood ...
Jennifer Kanis
Jennifer Kanis was elected to the seat of Melbourne in a by-election in July 2012. Before entering Parliament, Jennifer served as a councillor at the City of Melbourne from 2008 to 2012. She has carried her interest in aged care, youth services and homelessness from the council to the parliament.
Jennifer currently holds the positions of Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Justice and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Mental Health. She is also Deputy Chair of the Victorian Parliament’s Accountability and Oversight and the IBAC (Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission) Parliamentary Committees.
Jennifer previously worked as a senior associate at Holding Redlich Lawyers and as a secondary school teacher. She was convenor of Victorian Women Lawyers in 2009.
In her inaugural speech, Jennifer told Parliament that she believes that a good government helps people in need, supports a vibrant economy, creates opportunity and builds people up to reach their full potential.