in brief: ita buttrose comments on julie bishop and the glass ceiling

Former Women’s Weekly editor Ita Buttrose has called out our new government on its apparent gender problem.

‘The glass ceiling still does exist in Australia,’ Ms Buttrose told ABC radio on September 17.

‘We’re told it doesn’t, but that’s just a nonsense – it does exist.’

Buttrose is not the only one to reflect on the absence of women in positions of power, with members of the Liberal and Labor party joining in the chorus of disapproval.

Acting Labor leader Chris Bowen has observed that Australian women are now less represented in the cabinet than their Afghan counterparts.

Liberal senator, Sue Boyce has further described Liberal’s election win as soured by a lack of representation for women.

Senator Boyce described the Liberal party’s lack of female ministers a ‘systemic issue.’

The sole female minister of the Abbott government does not see the glass ceiling, however.

Julie Bishop, our new Foreign Affairs minister, refutes the allegations of Buttrose and her contemporaries saying she believes people were awarded positions based on their merit.

Despite the Abbott ministry being drawn up based on member’s experience, women calling shots in previous Liberal governments have missed out on ministerial positions.

Brisbane MP Teresa Gambaro’s experience as a parliamentary secretary in the Howard government was not sway for a ministerial role, with Labor’s Brendan O’Connor describing her position as being demoted by Abbott.

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