Wednesday, 4 March 2020

Ministers statements: International Women’s Day

Ms NEVILLE (Bellarine—Minister for Water, Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (11:27): As we head into International Women’s Day I want to give the house an exciting update on where we are in relation to women in the water sector. We know that organisations that reflect the communities that they serve are much stronger because of that. We are making significant progress in relation to water corporations and catchment management authorities.

When I became water minister I was shocked to see the lack of participation of women across our boards in CMAs, water authorities—right across the water sector—so we set about changing that. We now have over 50 per cent of women on each of our water boards and on each of our CMAs. We had three chairs when we first started; we now have 12 chairs on our 19 water authorities, and 60 per cent of chairs of our CMAs are women. It is also about women at the executive level. At 11 of our 19 water authorities more than 40 per cent of the executive level are women, and we are on track to 50 per cent by the end of this year.

What we know is that this is delivering real benefits. It is delivering price benefits. We still have the lowest bills in the country. We have the best performing water sector in the country, and that has been confirmed just recently through national performance.

We are ensuring that organisations reflect their communities, just like our cabinet is at 50 per cent. We know that that gets things done. It makes sure we are making the right decisions. We have got good policy settings. We know that it opens doors to our daughters and our granddaughters, so it is hard to understand why anyone would resist achieving 50 per cent. But do not ask me about that; ask those opposite what they see when they do not have 50 per cent, which is exactly that—those opposite sitting on the opposition benches.

Mr T Bull: On a point of order, Speaker, I have a number of overdue questions that were actually asked in October and November last year that still remain overdue, which I have raised with you before. They are questions 1376, 1377, 1378, 1489, 1676, 1705, 1711, 1719 and 1620. They are now more than four months overdue, Speaker, and I would urge you to encourage the respective ministers to answer them promptly.

The SPEAKER: I thank the member for raising that. We will follow that matter up with the relevant minister or ministers.