On International Women's Day I am pleased to report on the success of the Hodgman Liberal Government’s Women on Boards Strategy.
The percentage of board positions held by women has risen to 40 per cent, up from 33.8 per cent since our Women on Boards strategy was released in August 2015.
This means we are well on our way to achieving our goal of 50 per cent representation of women on boards by 2020.
As well as utilising the Tasmanian Women’s Register for all appointments and re-appointments to government boards, we also have established a dedicated LinkedIn page, connected to the DPAC corporate LinkedIn page, to promote board vacancies, with information about board membership, training and research. We will also continue to implement initiatives from the Tasmanian Women’s Plan 2013-18, to break down the barriers that produce gender inequities.
While I am proud to be part of a Government committed to gender equality with a dedicated Minister for Women, Tasmania’s first female Speaker of the House of Assembly, and Tasmania’s first female Governor, I am most proud of this Government’s investment in helping the more vulnerable in our community. With the Budget back in balance, we are investing in essential services such as the $3.5 million development of a new purpose built Hobart Women’s Shelter (HWS) to house women and their children.
That is why todays launch of Promoting Equality and Respect: An interfaith resource on preventing family violence, a resource is designed for all faith leaders on the issue of domestic violence, is important – as it largely complements our Safe Homes, Safe Families: Tasmania’s Family Violence Action Plan 2015-2020 (Safe Homes, Safe Families) and the national plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children 2010-2022.
As Minister for Women I acknowledge there are still inequities in our community, and I will continue to strive to ensure women and girls are given the same opportunities to reach their full potential in our community, working with stakeholders and Building Tasmania’s Future.
For more information go to http://www.greaterdandenong.com/document/29265/interfaith-collaboration-on-preventing-family-violence.