Parliamentary elections in Australia
Women represent 25% of the parliament with 37 seats out of 150 and while there is no legal quota system, there are voluntary political party quotas in place. Australia has had just one woman leader in five of it's six states and two in the small capital territory. Some of the few women who have risen in state politics have had a rough time.
There is a large number of female candidates running in this election. Here we present you just a few of them through news articles:
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young
Fiona Patten, Leader of the Sex Party
Bridget McKenzie, National Party Senator for Victoria
Kate Ellis, Federal member for Adelaide
Anna Burke, Speaker of the House of Representatives
Senator Chistine Milne, Leader of the Australian Greens
Cate Faehrmann, lead Senate candidate for the Greens in NSW
Kelly O'Dwyer, Federal Member for Higgins
Jenny Macklin, Minister for Families
Julie Bishop, Deputy Leader of the Federal Liberty Party
Teresa Gambaro, Federal Member for Brisbane
Read also:
The politics of Women and the Women of Politics, Australia
Senate veterans decry cabinet's lack of women, Australia
Why is there only one woman in Tony Abbott's cabinet?
10 Australian female politicians to watch
After Gillard, is gender an Australian election issue?
Women ablaze: Australia's fiery gender-war election
For more information visit the Global Database of Quotas for Women and the Parline database on national parliaments