The election of Labor’s Eden Foster to the Victorian seat of Mulgrave means that now, for the first time, women make up half the members of the State’s Upper and Lower Houses.
EMILY’s List CEO Pamela Anderson said that equal gender representation in the Victorian Parliament – 64 women and 64 men – was testament to the hard work of the collective feminist movement’s support of progressive Labor women.
“Since our beginnings in 1997, EMILY’s List knows that that to pursue outcomes for all women, we must encourage, support and mentor a diversity of women to be elected to Parliament,” Ms Anderson said.
“We’re thrilled that Eden Foster has been elected to, and retained, the seat of Mulgrave for the Victorian ALP and that she adds to the progressive voice in this state for rights and issues, including reproductive choice, gender equity, and early childhood education and care that are so important for women.”
Ms Anderson said whilst the equal gender representation in Victorian Parliament was outstanding, there was still more work, advocacy and fundraising needed to achieve equal, if not more, representation of women across the other States and Federal Parliaments.
“Good policy for women is only achieved when women’s voices are heard,” Ms Anderson said.
Since 1997 EMILY’s List has advocated and fundraised to support 640 progressive Labor women, with 313 elected into State and Federal parliaments, including Nova Peris, Australia’s first Indigenous Woman MP, and Senator Anne Aly, the first Muslim Woman to be elected to Federal Parliament.
The Premier of Victoria, The Hon. Jacinta Allan and Hon Julia Gillard AC, Australia’s first Woman Prime Minister, are foundation members of EMILY’s list and long-time supporters.
