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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-11-11 Daily Xml
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WOMEN'S STUDIES RESOURCE CENTRE

The Hon. J.S. LEE (15:14): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for the Status of Women a question about the Women's Studies Resource Centre.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: Yesterday, many flyers were distributed around Parliament House with the title 'Another Don Dunstan legacy to bite the dust?' This week, the minister, as well as the Hon. Michelle Lensink in this council, spoke about celebrating 35 years since the passing of Australia's first sex discrimination act and yet, after 35 years of operating the first and largest women's library in the southern hemisphere, the Women's Studies Resource Centre announced that it faces imminent closure.

The Hon. Michelle Lensink asked the minister a question on 16 September 2010 regarding this matter. The minister in her response indicated that she has actively liaised with the Minister for Education and the Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education to secure funding on behalf of the centre and to facilitate discussions regarding its future. My questions are:

1. What meetings has the minister facilitated with the Minister for Education and the Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education and when did those meetings take place?

2. Can the minister provide an update as to what funding resources have been secured or what alternative measures have been put in place to preserve these very valuable resources for women across the community?

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) (15:12): I thank the honourable member for her questions. I have already spoken on this issue before in this place. There is not a great deal more to add in respect of that. In relation to the women's resource centre, I have already put on record here that it is a very significant centre.

It was one of the first of its kind ever to be established and unfortunately, over the years and particularly recently, the use of this facility has declined significantly. It is most likely due to the availability of feminist resource materials via other means, particularly the internet, so I think some of those things have overtaken the need for such a specific facility.

Nevertheless it is still symbolically a very important facility, and it holds a certain part of our history which is of great value, as do those women who fought so hard to have that resource centre put together in the first place. As I said, it was the first of its kind and there was no other place for women to go to access that sort of information and material, so it did play a really vital role, and I certainly respect and honour those women who played such an important role.

In terms of my communications with the minister for DFEEST—and I think DECS also contributes funding—I have spoken with both ministers involved. My understanding is that the issue has not been resolved as yet in relation to the long-term funding arrangements for this facility. So my understanding is there has been no final decision made that I am aware of, and the matter has not been resolved. My understanding is that discussions and considerations are still occurring.

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