Tuesday, 15 October 2019

 Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Resources) (12:25): Happy International Day of Rural Women. I had the pleasure this morning to have a country cuppa with some of our most inspiring and trailblazing women from across regional Victoria, including many who are the backbone of our agricultural sector. Six-hundred women are gathering at over 30 events across the state, taking time out to make connections, share ideas and strengthen an already impressive network of country women. Until 1994 no Australian woman could list their legal status as ‘farmer’, but those who come from the land know they have always been much more than farmers’ wives.

We discussed how we can best support rural women to lead and succeed, given that they remain under-represented in leadership roles. But of course this is changing, and it is thanks to many of the women that I met today. More and more women are being elected to local councils. Regional MPs are now more likely than not to be women; 55 per cent of regional MPs are women, compared to just 41 per cent overall.

I am also proud to be part of a government committed to gender equality and taking real action towards empowering regional women. We have invested in programs and organisations in country Victoria to create better and more respectful futures for women and girls. It is why we have the Rural Women’s Network, with women from country Victoria building their leadership skills and having a seat at the table with government so we can deliver better outcomes for them and generations of women to come.

That is why, thanks to our awesome Minister for Women, we are delivering Australia’s first gender equality bill, which will make organisations plan and report on gender equality in the workplace and consider how their services affect women. It is a way to support rural women to take on leadership roles and programs and to be sure services better meet the needs of rural communities. So today, on international rural women’s day, we want to acknowledge Victoria’s regional and rural women for the mighty contribution that they make every day to Victorian life. We know that you never ever ask for recognition, but today and every day we say thank you.