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Gender quotas aren’t doing much to help women in politics in Australia

Editorial / Opinion Piece / Blog Post

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January 29, 2019

Gender quotas aren’t doing much to help women in politics in Australia

Source: Starts at 60

By Brian Winchester,

It is important to the vibrant health of a community that debate and dissent are given plenty of opportunity to challenge standards. It’s the only way to guard against mediocrity and complacency, and to foster the innovative and exceptional.

Hence, oh dear! Liberal minister Kelly O’Dwyer has not done the gender quota any favour, has she, having recently announced her resignation from politics.

O’Dwyer had no children when she put her nose in the public trough. As a happily married woman, she gets pregnant twice. Surprise, surprise! Well done. Quite natural. Raising two lovely children.

But with her resignation comes the sob story about how she misses the development of her growing children. Well, goodness me! Isn’t that exactly why young mothers tend to stay home and raise their children to be good citizens?

Apparently, the alternative is to pay exorbitant sums to allow another to develop them. Sure, it might not be the same way a natural mother would want, but it is close enough to allow you to go and earn sufficient to pay for the second car, or four bedroom McMansion/studio/lap pool/workshop et al. Those who choose to stay at home make decisions about living more modest lifestyles or in affordable accommodation with fewer bells and whistles.

Click here to read the full article published by Starts at 60 on 28 January 2019.

Focus areas

By Brian Winchester,

It is important to the vibrant health of a community that debate and dissent are given plenty of opportunity to challenge standards. It’s the only way to guard against mediocrity and complacency, and to foster the innovative and exceptional.

Hence, oh dear! Liberal minister Kelly O’Dwyer has not done the gender quota any favour, has she, having recently announced her resignation from politics.

O’Dwyer had no children when she put her nose in the public trough. As a happily married woman, she gets pregnant twice. Surprise, surprise! Well done. Quite natural. Raising two lovely children.

But with her resignation comes the sob story about how she misses the development of her growing children. Well, goodness me! Isn’t that exactly why young mothers tend to stay home and raise their children to be good citizens?

Apparently, the alternative is to pay exorbitant sums to allow another to develop them. Sure, it might not be the same way a natural mother would want, but it is close enough to allow you to go and earn sufficient to pay for the second car, or four bedroom McMansion/studio/lap pool/workshop et al. Those who choose to stay at home make decisions about living more modest lifestyles or in affordable accommodation with fewer bells and whistles.

Click here to read the full article published by Starts at 60 on 28 January 2019.

Focus areas