PREMIER'S COUNCIL FOR WOMEN

Mr RAU (Enfield) (16:52): My question is to the Minister for the Status of Women. Will the minister advise the house of the recent appointment of Pat Mickan as Chair of the Premier's Council for Women?

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Volunteers, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister Assisting in Early Childhood Development) (16:52): As members would be aware, the Premier's Council for Women is one of the government's key advisory bodies providing both the Premier and myself with advice on a range of issues impacting on women.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: I beg your pardon?

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: Appoint what?

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: What a lot of rot! You don't know what you are talking about.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: What did you have? What did you have? Nothing.

The SPEAKER: Order! If the deputy leader has a question, I am happy to give her the call. There is still plenty of time in question time for her to ask a question. I ask the minister not to respond to interjections.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: I will match this government's commitment to women to that of the opposition any time, and I can refer to a few examples of that if they like. The Premier and I work closely with the Premier's Council for Women and share a passionate interest in advancing issues relevant to women, ensuring that women participate equally in all facets of life—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: Well, that's appropriate. That just goes to show how members opposite see issues relating to women: they burst into raucous laughter. We are keen to ensure that women's views are represented in all levels of government decision making. I am pleased to announce that Pat Mickan has been appointed as the new Chair of the Council for Women.

Pat takes over from Suzanne Roux, and I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank and acknowledge Suzy for her contribution to the council and for her personal support to both myself and the Premier. Under her direction, the Premier's Council for Women was a key driver on a number of important issues impacting on women. She is very much a woman of substance and a leader. She has been an energetic advocate for all women in South Australia and incredibly generous with her time. If ever anyone could get the ear of the Premier, I would say Suzy Roux could do that above anyone else.

I am very much looking forward to working with Pat Mickan, who is an accomplished sportswoman, coach, dual Olympic basketball player, former head coach of the National Netball League and former coach of the state netball side. If that is not enough, she was also the first female skills coach in the AFL when she joined the Adelaide Football Club. As well as being a competent journalist, media commentator, sportswoman and coach, Pat has been Deputy Chair of the Premier's Council for Women since 2005. Women's health and wellbeing and the inequities faced by South Australian Aboriginal women are two of the areas in which Pat has had a keen interest. We are very lucky to be in a position of appointing Pat as chair to the council. Indeed, she is a woman of quality.

I am also pleased to announce that Professor Anne Edwards has been appointed as Deputy Chair of the Premier's Council for Women. Anne will also be well-known to members of this house. She has recently retired from the position of Vice-Chancellor of Flinders University, a position she has held since 2001. She currently holds positions on a number of significant boards and committees and is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences and the Australian College of Educators.

It is also a great pleasure to advise the house of the appointment of Eunice Aston to the Premier's Council for Women. Eunice is a well respected Ngarrindjeri woman from the Murray-Mallee community. She has been working and assisting women in her community for the last two decades. Eunice is a member of the Country Health SA Aboriginal Health Forum and sits on the governance committee of the Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia. She is also one of South Australia's delegates to the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Gathering and brings to the committee a wealth of knowledge and experience about the lives of indigenous women and the issues and concerns that are important to them. Eunice is replacing Eleanor Ramsay on the council and I also thank Eleanor for her many years of contribution and hard work.

I warmly welcome Pat to her new role as chair, as well as Anne and Eunice. I am confident that they will make a wonderful addition to the Premier's Council for Women to progress women's issues in this state.