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| Tony Abbott says his three daughters helped him ‘turn into a feminist’ | Tony Abbott says his three daughters helped him ‘turn into a feminist’ |
| (6 months later) | |
| Prime minister Tony Abbott says women have smashed just about every glass ceiling in Australia referencing female premiers and former prime minister Julia Gillard as examples. | Prime minister Tony Abbott says women have smashed just about every glass ceiling in Australia referencing female premiers and former prime minister Julia Gillard as examples. |
| In an address to an International Women’s Day breakfast in which he compared himself to former American president Richard Nixon, Abbott said his wife quipped having three daughters helped turn an “unreconstructed bloke into a feminist”. | In an address to an International Women’s Day breakfast in which he compared himself to former American president Richard Nixon, Abbott said his wife quipped having three daughters helped turn an “unreconstructed bloke into a feminist”. |
| “Anyone who is in Australian has won the lottery of life and if you look at our country and the deal that it gives to women; it is obviously pretty good. It wasn’t so long ago as a Sydneysider that there was a female lord mayor, a female premier, a female prime minister, a female head of state in our governor general, a female monarch, obviously, and indeed the richest person in our country was female,” he said. | “Anyone who is in Australian has won the lottery of life and if you look at our country and the deal that it gives to women; it is obviously pretty good. It wasn’t so long ago as a Sydneysider that there was a female lord mayor, a female premier, a female prime minister, a female head of state in our governor general, a female monarch, obviously, and indeed the richest person in our country was female,” he said. |
| “So, this is a nation which has smashed just about every glass ceiling, but we need to do more – we need to do more.” | “So, this is a nation which has smashed just about every glass ceiling, but we need to do more – we need to do more.” |
| Abbott then spoke about the need for the Coalition’s paid parental scheme saying Labor had started the ball rolling but it needed to go further. | Abbott then spoke about the need for the Coalition’s paid parental scheme saying Labor had started the ball rolling but it needed to go further. |
| The Coalition’s paid parental leave scheme would give women earning up to $150,000 six months of their wage using a levy on business to fund it. | The Coalition’s paid parental leave scheme would give women earning up to $150,000 six months of their wage using a levy on business to fund it. |
| He acknowledged criticism of the scheme saying it was always “disconcerting” when a traditionalist such as himself came up with something not regarded as a conservative and traditional position. | He acknowledged criticism of the scheme saying it was always “disconcerting” when a traditionalist such as himself came up with something not regarded as a conservative and traditional position. |
| “It is a bit like when Nixon went to China, conservatives thought, ‘my God, has he suddenly abandoned the faith?’ Progressives thought, ‘my God, is China no longer a progressive country?’ The truth is this was a historic breakthrough,” he said. | “It is a bit like when Nixon went to China, conservatives thought, ‘my God, has he suddenly abandoned the faith?’ Progressives thought, ‘my God, is China no longer a progressive country?’ The truth is this was a historic breakthrough,” he said. |
| “This was one of those moments when people from all sides of politics needed to realise that a watershed had been reached.” | “This was one of those moments when people from all sides of politics needed to realise that a watershed had been reached.” |
| He added: “So, it is, I like to think, with the Coalition support for a fair dinkum paid parental leave scheme.” | He added: “So, it is, I like to think, with the Coalition support for a fair dinkum paid parental leave scheme.” |
| The scheme reportedly has been criticised by the government’s commission of audit interim report as too expensive and there is unrest within the government over the scheme which is considered by some as too generous. | |
| The government is also considering reducing “red tape” by winding back rules which have businesses reporting the gender make-up of their workplaces. | The government is also considering reducing “red tape” by winding back rules which have businesses reporting the gender make-up of their workplaces. |
| Abbott, who returned the portfolio of women into the prime minister’s office, said if progressives had come up with paid parental leave “the usual suspects” would have been cheering. | Abbott, who returned the portfolio of women into the prime minister’s office, said if progressives had come up with paid parental leave “the usual suspects” would have been cheering. |
| “Well, I say, don’t oppose it – embrace it. Don’t oppose it – embrace it,” he said. | “Well, I say, don’t oppose it – embrace it. Don’t oppose it – embrace it,” he said. |
| Abbott said “once upon a time” he would not have been comfortable addressing the International Women’s Day breakfast. | Abbott said “once upon a time” he would not have been comfortable addressing the International Women’s Day breakfast. |
| “And it is true that my views on policy towards women have changed and evolved in response to watching friends of mine, watching colleagues of mine and in particular looking at my daughters grow up and thinking what would I want for them?” he said. | “And it is true that my views on policy towards women have changed and evolved in response to watching friends of mine, watching colleagues of mine and in particular looking at my daughters grow up and thinking what would I want for them?” he said. |
| “What would I want for these beautiful, intelligent, sensitive girls who have so much going for them and who deserve a world which recognises all of their talents and wants to give them every possible opportunity.” | “What would I want for these beautiful, intelligent, sensitive girls who have so much going for them and who deserve a world which recognises all of their talents and wants to give them every possible opportunity.” |
| He added: “Now, they are growing up in Australia and, regardless of your circumstances, Australia is the best country in the world for everything.” | He added: “Now, they are growing up in Australia and, regardless of your circumstances, Australia is the best country in the world for everything.” |
| Opposition leader Bill Shorten also referenced his daughters in his address to the breakfast. | Opposition leader Bill Shorten also referenced his daughters in his address to the breakfast. |
| “Next year my beautiful little daughter, Clementine, will be starting primary school,” he said. | “Next year my beautiful little daughter, Clementine, will be starting primary school,” he said. |
| “Next year, my beautiful daughter Georgette will be starting secondary school. What my wife Chloe and I want for them is what I believe every parent wants for their child in their first year of primary school, or their first year of secondary school; we want our daughters to be safe and resilient, to make friends and to have their love of learning supported by a great teacher at a great school.” | “Next year, my beautiful daughter Georgette will be starting secondary school. What my wife Chloe and I want for them is what I believe every parent wants for their child in their first year of primary school, or their first year of secondary school; we want our daughters to be safe and resilient, to make friends and to have their love of learning supported by a great teacher at a great school.” |
| He went on to say that every girl in the world should have the opportunity to go to secondary school referencing the Millennium Development Goals 130 countries have signed up to with an aim for equality in education between boys and girls. | He went on to say that every girl in the world should have the opportunity to go to secondary school referencing the Millennium Development Goals 130 countries have signed up to with an aim for equality in education between boys and girls. |
| Shorten addressed the gender pay gap which is about 17% in Australia. | Shorten addressed the gender pay gap which is about 17% in Australia. |
| “We need to recognise that when we talk about the economic contribution of women, that we should recognise the vast amount of unpaid work that is already done by Australian women, just perhaps not appreciated the way it should be,” he said. | “We need to recognise that when we talk about the economic contribution of women, that we should recognise the vast amount of unpaid work that is already done by Australian women, just perhaps not appreciated the way it should be,” he said. |