WHITE RIBBON DAY

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (15:23): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for the Status of Women a question about White Ribbon Day.

Leave granted.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: I have been working with the Hon. John Gazzola as a White Ribbon Day ambassador to encourage South Australian men in leadership roles to sign up as ambassadors in order to link White Ribbon Day ambassadors with each other and develop ideas for White Ribbon Day activities. A forum is being held in October for South Australian ambassadors. Will the minister tell the council more about White Ribbon Day?

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 for the City of Adelaide) (15:24): I thank the member for his most important question. I want to pass on my appreciation of the work that he and the Hon. John Gazzola are doing to champion the White Ribbon Day cause. It was in 1999 that the United Nations General Assembly declared 25 November the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The white ribbon has become a symbol for this event ever since.

While most white ribbon events are held throughout the month of November, the white ribbon campaign is year-round. The campaign continues to go from strength to strength. As we know, the white ribbon campaign aims to end violence against women by promoting respectful relationships and male leadership on this issue. Changing attitudes is a key to stopping violence. Having men step up and take responsibility to ensure that they and their mates will never condone violence is really important.

White Ribbon ambassadors are critical to the success of this campaign as they work to get men on board across different sectors and across different backgrounds, ages, etc. Ambassadors contribute in many ways, from taking a pledge to never remain silent about violence against women to taking steps such as challenging a demeaning comment in the workplace or the pub and holding major awareness events.

I understand that over 1,000 men throughout Australia are now White Ribbon ambassadors. In August 2008, there were 13 ambassadors in South Australia and this has now grown to around 135 due to the efforts of the Office for Women, state coordinators and the individual ambassadors such as some of you here in the chamber.

I want to again acknowledge the Hons Ian Hunter, John Gazzola, Russell Wortley, Mark Parnell, John Darley, Stephen Wade, Robert Brokenshire and, of course, John Dawkins, who are all White Ribbon ambassadors.

I have been advised that there will be a White Ribbon ambassadors meeting on Wednesday 13 October 2010 from 4:30 to 6:30 at the Relationships Australia complex. The address is 49A Osmond Street, Hindmarsh, and I hope that all South Australian ambassadors will be able to attend as this meeting will give them an opportunity to informally network with other White Ribbon ambassadors.

Members of the Coalition for Men Supporting Nonviolence, who are also White Ribbon ambassadors, will lead an interactive discussion on violence towards women and will also discuss activities planned for White Ribbon Day, as well as directions for future ambassador meetings.