A FIRST FOR WOMEN IN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT

When Anna Bligh won Queensland’s state government election (21/3/09), she became Australia’s first woman premier to be elected in her own right.

Equal Opportunity Legislation

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY LEGISLATION

It’s time to lobby

The Government’s Equal Opportunity Bill is currently being considered by the Liberal party room.  It is important that members of the community lobby their local Members of Parliament, and other important Liberal figures, to ensure that this legislation is passed.  A list of Liberals is included at the bottom of this email.

This legislation proposes a number of changes to bring our anti-discrimination laws in line with interstate and Federal law.  Key changes include:

• Caring responsibilities – S.A. is the only state where this protection is not available
• Broadening the definition of disability to cover mental illness – again S.A. is the only state not to cover this type of disability
• Strengthening sexual harassment provisions, particularly at work and in schools

Most of the Bill is aimed at catching S.A. up with the rest of the country.  Indeed business already has to comply with many of the proposed changes as they are already covered by Federal law.

South Australians deserve to be protected by modern discrimination laws.

I urge you to contact the Liberals to have your voice heard [Please make sure that any lobbying emails to Members of Parliament are sent from personal (not work-based) email addresses].

If you have any queries about the legislation, you can direct them to Janet Giles at jgiles@saunions.org.au

List of Liberals  [*Members of the House of Assembly are listed alphabetically by electorate]

Vickie Chapman                                   Iain Evans                                                  Liz Penfold
Member for Bragg                             Member for Davenport                                Member for Flinders
bragg@parliament.sa.gov.au                  davenport@parliament.sa.gov.au              flinders@parliament.sa.gov.au

Michael Pengilly                                   Rob Kerin                                                    Steven Griffiths
Member for Finniss                                 Member for Frome                               Member for Goyder
finniss@parliament.sa.gov.au                frome@parliament.sa.gov.au          goyder@parliament.sa.gov.au

Adrian Pederick                                    Isobel Redmond                                       Mark Goldsworthy 
Member for Hammond                             Member for Heysen                             Member for Kavel  
hammond@parliament.sa.gov.au heysen@parliament.sa.gov.au               kavel@parliament.sa.gov.au

Michael Willliams                                 Duncan McFetridge                                   Ivan Venning
Member for MacKillop                             Member for Morphett                            Member for Schubert
mackillop@parliament.sa.gov.au  morphett@parliament.sa.gov.au        schubert@parliament.sa.gov.au

Graham Gunn                                                                       David Pisoni
Member for Stuart                                                                                Member for Unley                             
stuart.portaugusta@parliament.sa.gov.au                                         unley@parliament.sa.gov.au 

Martin Hamilton-Smith          Michelle Lensink                                        Stephen Wade
Member for Waite                    Member of the Legislative Council      Member of the Legislative Council 
waite@parliament.sa.gov.au    michelle.lensink@parliament.sa.gov.au     stephen.wade@parliament.sa.gov.au