PREMIER'S COUNCIL FOR WOMEN

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (15:25): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for the Status of Women a question about the Premier's Council for Women.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA: As you are aware, Mr President, the Premier's Council for Women provides a valuable service to government, making sure that government is mindful of issues that impact and affect women. Will the minister provide more information on the Premier's Council for Women?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (15:25): I thank the honourable member for his most important question and his ongoing interest in this very important council. The Premier's Council for Women provides leadership and advice to the Premier and me to ensure that the interests of women are at the forefront of government policies and strategies. It was established in late 2002 as one of the government's key advisory bodies. It has been actively involved in the review of South Australia's Strategic Plan and has membership on the audit committee.

The council's current focus is on the economic status of women, including work-life balance, the women's employment strategy and women's health, safety and wellbeing. I am pleased to announce nine new members of the Premier's Council for Women, as follows:

Maria Hagias, a woman from a culturally and linguistically diverse background with extensive domestic violence expertise;

Katrina Webb-Dennis, a businesswoman and former Para Olympian, who understands the needs of young women;

Dr Anu Mundkur, an academic and gender policy specialist;

Louise Stock, a rural woman with primary production experience;

Elizabeth Jensen, a former senior public servant with business development, employment, multicultural issues and policy expertise;

Karen Bard, who has extensive international experience in the science and technology sector;

Alison Adair, a woman with legal and private sector experience;

Frances Magill, who has extensive leadership experience in the superannuation and finance sectors; and

Lavinia Emmett-Grey, a young woman who is from the university sector and who is President of the University of Adelaide Union.

From 1 February 2009, Pat Mickan and Emeritus Professor Anne Edwards will be co-chairs of the renewed Premier's Council for Women. This arrangement is an inspirational example of job sharing and work-life balance.

Nerida Saunders, Janet Giles, Ann-Marie Hayes and Elizabeth Haebich have been reappointed for a further two years, and Eunice Aston's two-year term continues until February 2010. All these women bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Premier's Council for Women, and I look forward to working with them. I know that they will make a really valuable contribution to government policy.

I know that the Premier's Council for Women would want me to take up a suggestion made by the Hon. Robert Lawson in his speech on justice across borders, when he suggested that perpetrators of domestic violence are petty criminals. I am sure that it would also want me to remind members of the council that domestic violence can, in fact, lead to murder and other serious assaults. One in three Australian women experience physical violence in their lifetime; 31 per cent of women assaulted in the past 12 months were assaulted by a current or previous male partner; and 60 per cent of Australian women who are murdered are murdered by an intimate partner.

The Hon. B.V. Finnigan interjecting:

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Yes, it is offensive. I remind members that it is indeed an extremely serious crime that can affect the life of many women, with tragic consequences not only for their health and wellbeing but also for that of their children. As I have outlined, it can result in serious injury and death, and it has not only a huge human cost but also a monetary cost in terms of the implications on healthcare services, etc. Particularly in mental health, as I have mentioned in this chamber before, domestic violence has a significant impact on the mental health of women who are victims of domestic violence. So I know the Premier's Council would want me to take up the Hon. Mr Lawson on these comments.