Well done to all those women who ran for the Federal Election.

Those women who supported them. And to all those who overwhelmingly voted. Regardless of whether your candidate won or lost, this election reflected the amazing diversity and capacity of those in the ring and our willingness to support them. 

It’s our time, ladies. There are more women and people with diverse backgrounds in our cabinet than ever before, providing well overdue representation reflective of our diverse communities. 

Our new ministry includes many ‘firsts’, from Penny Wong as Australia’s first foreign minister with an Asian background, Anne Aly, the first female minister with a Muslim background, to Linda Burney, our first female Indigenous cabinet minister. Just as important as the diversity around the table is the importance of portfolios which our elected women hold, with Wong appointed to foreign affairs, O’Neill to home affairs and Gallangher to finance – placing women in powerful roles. 

 For years, Australia lagged behind the rest of the world in gender equality in parliament and cabinet. As recent as 2021, the Inter-Parliamentary Union ranked Australia 73rd of 193 countries for women in ministerial positions in national parliaments.

 The election has demonstrated that we’ve run out of patience and want to see our government drive important change. We want our politicians to reflect the country they serve and lead the way to create a more progressive, positive, inclusive future. 

 Thank you again to all of our local candidates for proactively engaging with our group, attending our roundtables and listening to our needs and ideas. It has been an honour to provide our members with a seat at the table and ensure our voices are heard.