A fresh, youth-driven call for systemic change around the treatment of women in Australian politics has been delivered to Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
A group of female youth activists formally handed over a set of recommendations, backed by more than 1,300 other Australians, aimed at addressing concerns over a culture of sexism and misogyny in Canberra to Mr Morrison’s office on Thursday.
They also gave their list of proposed reforms to representatives from Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins’ inquiry into parliament’s workplace culture.
The push comes during tumultuous year in which a spotlight has been placed on the culture of Australian politics following allegations of rape and sexual harassment.
Among the recommendations for change are implementing workplace training to ensure parliament is a safe and equal space for women, and for all political parties to urgently enforce stricter quotas for women and people from different cultural backgrounds.
Other calls include for the government to invest in emerging leadership programs, ensure women are empowered to report incidents of sexual harassment, and to get consent education built into school curriculums and within parliament.
University student Jazmin Wright, 20, is one of the young women behind the campaign.
“Enough is enough,” she told SBS News.
“We’ve been seeing and hearing so many terrible things that are happening in parliament. It’s been a very unsafe place and I want something to change not only for our current parliament but also for our future.”
20-year-old Jazmin Wright.
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The activists, who have been working with charity Plan International, say young women are being turned off a career in politics.
Results from a Plan International poll released earlier this year suggested up to 73 per cent of women aged 18-21 held these concerns.
High school student Harleen Singh, 16, said concerns over the treatment of women have made her reconsider a career in politics.
“It really infuriated me the way I saw women being treated in parliament,” she told SBS News.
“[These] recommendations will provide for more women to be more open to considering politics as a pathway.”
16-year-old Harleen Singh.
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Margaret Thanos, 21, said “real change” is urgently needed.
“We aren’t treating our female politicians and female staffers within politics equally,” she told SBS News.
“[We are] not affording them the same opportunities as we are to the men. That does come down to a culture that is evidently treating young women to not aspire to be in those positions.”
21-year-old Margaret Thanos.
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The young women met with cross-party MPs last week, including Liberal MP Katie Allen and Labor MP Amanda Rishworth.
Dr Allen said it is important the concerns of young people are heard.
“There is a sense by women that they are not represented in the top echelons of leadership across this country,” she said.
“There is a lot more to go but I feel hopeful that a lot has changed. It is great to hear young women who are wanting their voices heard.”
Ms Rishworth said it was unacceptable young women are being deterred from pursuing a career in politics.
“We need young people’s voices involved in how we make cultural change,” she said.
“[We need to] ensure that there is a culture there that people want to aspire to be part of. We need to be setting an example – an example that young people are proud of.”
The government last month responded to deputy secretary of the Prime Minister’s Department Stephanie Foster’s internal review of parliament’s handling of sexual harassment and assault complaints.
It has now committed to establishing an independent complaints body for politicians and staffers, and establishing mandatory sexual harassment and bullying training for ministers and staffers.
The Jenkins review into parliament’s workplace culture is set to hand down the findings of its inquiry in November.