Littleproud welcomes LNP moves regarding female representation

Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources David Littleproud has welcomed moves by the Queensland Liberal National Party which it believes will help recruit more women into the Parliamentary party as "a step in the right direction".

 

LNP President Gary Spence announced yesterday the party would support moves it saw as making politics more attractive to women.

 

"It's great the party is at least thinking about these issues," Minister Littleproud said.

 

"This is a step in the right direction and I welcome it.

 

"We in the Coalition need to create an environment in which women can thrive and households - supportive partners - need to create an environment at home to allow more women to excel in their careers. 

 

"I've personally always found if you put the right environment in place, you get good representation. I certainly found this in the banking world where I was able to increase female managerial representation in my own team from negligible to 50 per cent in two years.

 

"It's just silly to lock out more than 50 per cent of the nation's intellect, whether you're in the corporate world, politics or education.

 

"The Federal Department of Agriculture has been a leader on this issue. Staffing levels are now at 50 per cent women and 47 per cent of senior executives in the Department are now female.

 

"However statutory agricultural industry board representation is currently at around 40 per cent and offers room for improvement. I've already rejected suggestions for boards where I don't believe proper efforts to find qualified women have been made. 

 

"The National Farmers Federation has a great female President in Fiona Simson who I'm sure will be a leader on this journey."