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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-03-08 Daily Xml
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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (15:31): International Women's Day is a day to celebrate women's achievements, and I acknowledge the example and ongoing support of my staff and friends, colleagues in this place and comrades and former workmates, among them Deidre Tedmanson, who is a former president of the Australian Labor Party in South Australia.

As you said earlier today, ma'am, it reminds us of many women here and around the world who continue to face inequality. They earn less and own less than men and are still under-represented in all spheres, especially politically. Every day, thousands of women and girls are victims of gender-based violence, including sexual abuse, trafficking and early and forced marriages.

Among this year's theme is equal access to education. Education is a basic human right. It is central to economic security and opportunity, as well as sustainable development. Investing globally in girls' education spurs economic growth and political participation. Literacy and numeracy equip women for economic independence, increasing the chances of achieving their full potential.

These notions were a catalyst for South Australian born Muriel Matters, a woman who recognised the importance of early education before International Women's Day was even proclaimed. Leaving Adelaide to pursue a theatrical career in London, Muriel had already championed here the early education of children via the Froebel method. Froebel pioneered kindergartens, a heritage held close by South Australians via the de Lissa initiatives and heritage now housed at UniSA at Magill.

Muriel also adopted Maria Montessori's methods after working with the Italian during World War I while in Spain. Muriel, a product of public school education, also did a great deal of work on the then emerging discipline of elocution, substantially rewriting the syllabus, no doubt using her experience and expertise in the Delsarte method. I would note this here, especially in light of the new found worldwide exposure of Muriel's contemporary at the University of Adelaide, Lionel Logue. They both studied under Mr Edward Reeve.

Muriel worked with Sylvia Pankhurst in the slums of London. Both shared a passion for the improvement of social justice issues that continue to affect women today: equal pay, abolition of sweatshops, better working conditions, rehabilitation of prisoners and better incarceration conditions, education for all and, to that end, Muriel ran Sylvia's Montessori kindy at Bow Street. To place today's circumstances in this historical context, we see that women are still working to achieve equality in a better world.

The Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, has highlighted the fact that Australia is behind other countries in areas of economic participation and opportunity for women. Australia ranks 24th out of 134 countries surveyed in this area. As the Governor General stated, it is indeed disappointing when we look on our past as one of the oldest democracies in the world and one of the first places to grant dual suffrage, something we did here in South Australia in 1894.

Then, as now, domestic violence and alcohol-fuelled violence is of grave concern. The WCTU was an advocate for the vote through Elizabeth Webb Nicholl, who worked with Catherine Helen Spencer and Mary Lee, and all are commemorated here in this chamber by the magnificent tapestry that was worked on by South Australian women to commemorate the centenary of dual enfranchisement in 1994.

As we celebrate International Women's Day today, let us reflect upon the continued devastation to women and children's lives caused by abusive partners. It is estimated that up to 17 per cent of Australian women are affected by domestic violence over the course of their lifetime. Aside from the massive cost to women and children in terms of the impact on their health, happiness and wellbeing, this issue is estimated to cost the Australian economy in excess of $13 billion a year.

In the report released by the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse this month, 'Seeking Security: promoting women's economic well being following domestic violence', the need for abusive partners to be made more accountable for their contribution to victims' negative economic outcomes is highlighted. We also need to work with perpetrators to ensure that they gain control of their lives and repair the damage they do to their relationships and people in general. The report also noted that some of the ways to achieve economic empowerment for survivors of abuse may be for creditors to agree to split bills and debts between victims and ex-partners, and that legislators could include economic abuse in domestic violence legislation.

It is clear that government, at all levels, must develop policies that go beyond short-term crisis intervention and support, and ensure that victims can make the transition to sustainable economic futures. Women affected by violence need programs that build their economic capacity and need to access economic opportunities, including job placement programs, low interest loans, and finance for business ventures. They also need better superannuation provisions; currently, they are only around half that of men at payout time. At the local level I would like to recognise the ongoing commitment made by Alana Waters and Maggie L'Estrange of the City of Tea Tree Gully on this issue, and their advocacy and support for women and families in my area through the North-East Domestic Violence Action Group.

I look forward to continuing to work on these important issues and to joining with those attending the International Women's Day luncheon tomorrow in celebrating the achievements made to date, and I thank the organising committee, under Toni Jupe, for organising the lunch, which will be an outstanding celebration equal to the UNIFEM breakfast this morning.

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