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Ambassador for women Natasha Stott Despoja vows to be 'frank and fearless' Ambassador for women Natasha Stott Despoja vows to be 'frank and fearless'
(35 minutes later)
Australia's new ambassador for women and girls says she will be "frank and fearless" in her advice to the government, despite hailing from the other side of the political fence. Former Democrat leader Natasha Stott Despoja is the new Australian ambassador for women and girls, the foreign minister, Julie Bishop, announced on Monday.
Former Democrats leader Natasha Stott Despoja is taking up the role, the foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop, announced in Sydney on Monday. In the first ambassadorial posting under the new government, Stott Despoja will lead Australia’s international efforts to improve the lives of women, including increasing female political representation, promoting economic empowerment, improving health and education services and working to end violence against women and girls. The posting is under the umbrella of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Despite their political differences, Bishop praised Despoja, saying she was "eminently qualified for the role" and "stands on her own merit". Stott Despoja, the former senator and leader of the Australian Democrats, said it was her “dream role” and she was excited that this government had made gender equality and gender empowerment a priority.
Stott Despoja described the role as her "dream job". “I’ve always been proud – and I continue to be proud – of Australia’s efforts to work with and for the world’s women, and I’m honoured to have been given a chance to contribute to this work,” she said, paying tribute to the work of the former ambassador Penny Williams.
The former South Australian senator will be based in Adelaide but her new job entails promoting greater economic, educational and leadership opportunities for women and girls throughout the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions. She said she hoped to address many issues, particularly family and sexual violence, education rights for women and girls, and female parliamentary representation in the Indo-Pacific region.
On her first day on the job she sets off with Bishop and Labor’s foreign affairs spokesperson, Tanya Plibersek, on a tour to promote the employment of women in Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Nauru. She has some clear priorities of “great personal interest” but freeing women from violence so they could pursue their opportunities was “imperative” Stott Despoja told Guardian Australia, adding that helping women in the region take on leadership positions was also a priority.
Stott Despoja said she hoped to visit Nauru's offshore detention centre, where pregnant women were reportedly being detained, and would not be afraid to offer "advocacy and advice to the minister" on behalf of women and children in the facility. “That’s a great role and one I’m excited by,” she said. “It’s one that’s taken up a lot of my time and attention over the last couple of decades in my own country, but I look forward to being part of that empowerment of women abroad.”
"As the ambassador, of course it's an interest of mine now to look at women and girls and specifically pregnant women," she said. "This is a great opportunity to go and see firsthand for myself." Bishop said she was “absolutely delighted” to announce Stott Despoja’s posting.
The Abbott government has collapsed AusAID into the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and cut the aid budget by $4.5bn over the next four years. “We see it as pivotal to our foreign policy priorities and initiatives,” she said. “We see Australia’s ambassador for women and girls as our voice on the international stage as we promote important issues surrounding gender equality and gender empowerment.”
Stott Despoja, who will have influence over the direction of aid policy, said it was not her job to comment on "the specific political changes". Stott Despoja will visit developing countries in the region and attend international and regional forums including the G20 and the Indian Rim Association.
"I'll be advocating ... for as much aid spending that will assist women and girls in our region and beyond," she said. "So my role is ... ensuring we maximise the use of the funding that is already allocated." “As foreign minister, I am particularly pleased that someone of Natasha’s stature and credibility has agreed to take on the role to be our voice in international forums including at the United Nations,” Bishop said.
Stott Despoja will replace career diplomat Penny Williams, who was appointed as the first women and girls ambassador by former prime minister Julia Gillard in 2011. “Natasha Stott Despoja will be our voice in helping other women find their voice.”
On Monday evening Stott Despoja will join Bishop and the assistant minister to the prime minister for women, Senator Michaelia Cash, the parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs, Brett Mason, the deputy opposition leader, Tanya Plibersek and the Labor MP Matt Thistlethwaite on a bipartisan delegation to the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Nauru.
Stott Despoja said she hoped to visit the regional processing centre on Nauru to see “first hand” the situation for women and children asylum seekers.
“My concern as the ambassador is the welfare for women and girls, be they in detention centres or in other places around the globe,” she said, adding that she will be expected to give “frank and fearless” feedback to the ministers and government.
If she does visit the centre, it would be an opportunity to “look at the situation and challenges facing those women and girls”, she said.
Asked about the frequent changes and reductions in growth of Australia’s foreign aid funding, including a cut of $4.5bn over the next four years, Stott Despoja said she would make sure that “money allocated to women and girls is spent well with maximum value and return. And I’ll be advocating for as much aid spending that will assist women and girls in our region and beyond.
“It’s worth noting that more than 50 cents in every dollar goes towards programs that have a significant impact on or a principal commitment to women in our region.”
Stott Despoja is the founding chair of the National Foundation to Prevent Violence Against Women and Their Children, deputy chair of Beyondblue and an ambassador for Ovarian Cancer Australia.
In 2011 she was made a Member of the Order of Australia for her service to the Australian parliament, education and as a role model for women.
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