Speaker's
Media Release

Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Inaugural Conference - Australia Region

"Women and the Parliamentary Process"

The Speaker of the Parliament of Victoria, Judy Maddigan MP, will chair the inaugural meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Women's Conference at Parliament House, Melbourne, on Friday, 1 August 2003.

The overarching theme of the Inaugural Conference of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) (Australia Region) will be "Women and the Parliamentary Process".

Judy Maddigan said;

"This Conference seeks to promote the aims of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, namely to facilitate networking between women Parliamentarians from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific nations to assist in improving access for all women to the democratic process."

"The conference will assemble prominent women from various political backgrounds to discuss their experiences working within the Westminster Parliamentary System."

The conference will aim to ratify a collective agreement to be presented to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association for consideration, following their day long discussions and analysis.

Sixty Women Members of Parliament, from around Australia - past and present - will converge on Parliament House, Melbourne, to discuss "Women and the Parliamentary Process" including topics such as "Gender sensitising the Parliament".

During the afternoon program, a panel of three women speakers will reflect on their time and experiences in Office. The panel will comprise of:

Dr Meredith Burgmann MLC

the second woman President of the Parliament of New South Wales since 1999

The Hon. Margaret Reid

The first woman President of the Senate from 1996 until 2002

The Hon. Kay Setches

Former Minister for Conservation, Forests and Land, and, former Minister for Community Services in the Cain and Kirner Governments

Speaker Judy Maddigan, the senior Australian representative of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, said,

"It is a privilege to host this important event, as it brings together great women with great ideas, enabling them to share knowledge from other States in order to encourage and progress women in the political arena."

Judy Maddigan will open the Conference at 9.30am.