Women Lawyers Association

The Hon. M. EL DANNAWI (15:12): My question is to the Attorney-General. Will the Attorney-General inform the council about the recent networking event that he co-hosted with the Women Lawyers Association?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:12): I sure will and I thank the honourable member for her question today as like yesterday, and her lifelong work advocating for women in the workplace. It was a great honour recently to co-host an event with female lawyers with the Women Lawyers Association in South Australia, held within the Attorney-General's Department.

I have spoken a number of times in this place of the critical work the Women Lawyers Association do in South Australia. It is made up of many dedicated female members of all sectors of the legal profession, ranging from law clerks and associates, partners in firms and judges to private lawyers and public sector lawyers at places like the Crown and the DPP, each with the collective aim of promoting justice and equality for all women both within the law and beyond.

South Australia's Women Lawyers Association is rightly a very highly regarded organisation for its efforts to improve the experiences and career prospects of women working in law and supporting each other as they navigate the profession at all stages. It is very beneficial for the work that I do and the work of the government that I am able to have regular meetings with the Women Lawyers Association in South Australia and their leadership team and hear from them about matters that they want to raise but also be able to consult directly with them about reforms the government is considering.

The recent co-hosted event was an opportunity to showcase the wide impacts and opportunities for the Women Lawyers Association and expand their membership and what they can provide for women in the legal profession in public sector areas such as the Crown or the DPP. The event was well attended and was a good opportunity for current members to speak with other women working particularly in public sector law about opportunities and the support that the Women Lawyers Association can provide.

I would particularly like to thank the leadership board: Marissa Mackie, Michelle Williams, Courtney Chow, Antonella Rodriguez and Kristy Zander, as well as the organisation collectively, for this event and for the work they do day in, day out in pursuing important advocacy for women in this sector.