HEFFERNAN'S COMMENTS PROVE HOWARD GOVERNMENT IS OUT OF TOUCH: MINISTER

Bill Heffernan’s ‘insulting’ comments about Federal Deputy Opposition Leader Julia Gillard are further proof that the Howard Government is out of touch, says Minister for Women Margaret Keech.

Mrs Keech said the Federal Liberal senator’s claim that Ms Gillard was not fit to lead the country because she had ‘chosen to be barren’ was an insult to all Australian women.

“These comments show how out of touch Senator Heffernan and the rest of the Howard Government really are with the Australian community,” said Mrs Keech.

“The senator said it himself – his comments were rude, crude and unattractive.

“They were also highly insulting to every Australian woman, whether they have children or not.

“We don’t assess our leaders by whether or not they have children, we assess them on their performance. Good leadership is about results.”

Mrs Keech said this was another clear example of the Howard Government’s hypocrisy.

“They are the ones who have put in place an industrial relations regime which discriminates against working women with families.

“The Howard Government is making it more and more difficult for women with families to remain in or re-enter the work force.

“Some are being forced into a position where they have to decide between a family and a career.

“And yet, according to Senator Heffernan women who haven’t had children can’t be effective leaders.

“Tell me Senator, what choices are women being left with?”

Mrs Keech said research showed women were clearly worse off under Austalian Workplace Agreements and the gender pay-gap was widening.

“Women on Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) earn only 70% of the average earnings of men on AWAs, compared with women covered by awards who earn 84% of men’s average earnings,” she said.

“Women are more likely to work in part-time and casual employment, where the workplace laws have the most detrimental effect.

“Under these laws, many women stand to lose rights related to their employment conditions, as well as losing penalty rates on casual jobs and the right to claim recompense for unfair dismissal.

“When faced with a ‘take it or leave it’ scenario, they might be forced to trade pay for carer’s leave or time-off during school holidays, to the detriment of their families.

“So who could blame some women for making the decision not to have children?

“Whatever decision a woman makes about having children is her business alone, and any suggestion it could reflect on her abilities in any other aspect of her life is offensive, outdated and old fashioned.”

Media Contact: Jo Gibbons 3225 1005 or 0421 611 989