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The Abbott government has appointed the former leader of the Australian Democrats, Natasha Stott Despoja, as the next Ambassador for Women and Girls.
In announcing the appointment, the Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop, said “gender empowerment is a priority for the Australian Government’s overseas development program”. She said it was the government’s wish “to be at the forefront of efforts to promote the empowerment of women and girls, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region”. [Read more…]
Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard has made her first major public appearance since being deposed last June.
The former Labor leader appeared with journalist Anne Summers before a crowd of 2600 people at the Sydney Opera House. [Read more…]
Katy Gallagher was today appointed Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory, following the retirement of Jon Stanhope.
Gallagher was elected unopposed by the ALP caucus on May 13. She was endorsed by a vote of the ACT Legislative Assembly today, winning 11 votes to 6 for the Liberal leader Zed Seselja. Her deputy is Andrew Barr.
Gallagher, 40, brings to four the number of female heads of government in Australia. She joins Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings, all of them from the Labor Party.
The five male leaders are: Premier Barry O’Farrell (NSW), Premier Ted Baillieu (Vic), Premier Mike Rann (SA), Premier Colin Barnett (WA) and Chief Minister Paul Henderson (NT).
The longest serving head of government is South Australian Labor Premier Mike Rann who has been in office since March 2002. The longest serving Opposition Leader is Tasmanian Liberal Will Hodgman who has held the position since March 2006.
There should be more female justices on the High Court of Australia, according to Justice Michael McHugh.
Addressing a dinner hosted by the Western Australian Law Society, McHugh said that despite many changes in recent years, “one thing that has not changed in the High Court is the small percentage of cases argued in the Court by female advocates. Some of the finest arguments that I have heard in nearly 16 years on the Court have come from women advocates. Indeed, given the small number of appearances by female advocates, superior arguments by women advocates are disproportionately high.”
Noting that he was facing imminent compulsory retirement at age 70, and that 4 Justices would retire over the next 4 years, McHugh said: “These retirements will present the federal government with a remarkable opportunity to ensure, to adapt the words of Chief Justice McLachlin, that the composition of the High Court approaches an accurate reflection of the place of women within the judiciary, within the legal profession, and within Australian society more generally.” [Read more…]