Australian Institute of Company Directors

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (16:14): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for the Status of Women a question about the Australian Institute of Company Directors scholarships.

Leave granted.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS: In 2013 the Premier and the minister offered scholarships to 25 women to attend board training. Can the minister outline plans for the scholarship opportunities this year?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (16:14): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. One of the commitments this government has made is to ensure more women are included on state government boards and committees—targets that have been extremely successful to date. Our targets are to increase the number of women on boards and as chairs to 50 per cent by 2014, and as at 1 May I can advise honourable members that women made up 47.3 per cent of board members and 41.9 per cent of board chairs.

I draw to the attention of the chamber that this is a significant increase in the number of women represented on boards and chairs on what the previous Liberal government had in place—a significant increase. They had a disgraceful track record when it came to women's representation. These aspirational targets illustrate just how seriously we take women's representation. As Minister for the Status of Women, I am particularly keen to ensure that not only are women better represented on our boards but also that we see membership of women from diverse backgrounds and regional areas.

I am pleased to confirm that the state government will again offer scholarships for 25 women to attend the Governance for Directors training, delivered at the Australian Institute of Company Directors. As members may be aware, the AICD is an internationally-recognised, member-based, not-for-profit organisation. Its key activities include education, conducting professional development programs and events for boards and directors, producing publications on director and governance issues, and developing and promoting policies of interest to directors.

This course is part of the Foundations of Directorship program that the AICD offers. The 2014 round of scholarships will offer the Governance of Directors course, which was offered in 2013. This one-day Governance for Directors course provides a practical introduction to the roles and functions of the board and directors, knowledge of regulation frameworks and compliance obligations as a director.

Participants will take away insights into leadership, governance and the boardroom environment. They will have a better understanding of the director's role in terms of monitoring performance and meeting compliance obligations, as well as the rights of directors. It will enable women to feel more confident in their knowledge of appropriate composition and structure of boards and the key requirements of good practice board operations, planning and selecting new directors.

There was immense interest in the scholarship opportunity last year. The Office for Women received 300 expressions of interest and 95 applications from women across South Australia. I am also advised that the Office for Women continues to receive inquires about additional training through scholarship opportunities such as this. More than half the successful applicants were from regional areas, which is a great outcome as it is more difficult for women based in regional South Australia to access training opportunities like this.

Feedback from last year's participants was just overwhelming. I spoke to a number of participants, who went out of their way to chat to me about the value of that experience and the difference it made to their confidence and their life. Scholarship recipients were pleased with the course itself, as well as the way the scholarships were managed, and I am told participants continue to keep in touch via a LinkedIn group established to allow them to continue to share ideas and experience.

This is welcome news, as it is a vital part of development and growth, and this comes through learning from experience with others, sharing views and understanding issues from different perspectives. Like last year, the priority will be given to South Australian women living in regional areas, Aboriginal women, women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and women living with a disability. We have added a new focus this year, and we are particularly encouraging younger and older women to apply.