Mid October saw Australian Labor’s International Projects Unit launched its groundbreaking 6 day campaigning and party building training program for women from the Asia Pacific region in Cairns.

Date:  18 February 2008

Course Convenor and former member for Barron River Dr Lesley Clark said that the course was designed to encourage women to run for and win elected office in the Asia pacific Region and forms part of Labor’s contributions to the Australian Political Parties for Democracy Program.

“At present, the representation of women in parliaments in the Pacific is the lowest in the world at just 4%.”

The inaugural program had 18 women participants from PNG, the Solomon Islands and Timor Leste and includes women Ministers, MPs and aspiring candidates as well as observers from organisations such as UNIFEM, the United Nations Development Fund for Women.

Dr Clark, who has been an international trainer for the ALP since retiring from politics last year, said that the program provided women with the opportunity to share experiences and identify ways of overcoming the cultural and institutional barriers that they face to get elected.

“There is no lack of excellent women candidates but It is very difficult for women to get elected in the male dominated cultures of the Pacific.”

“Political parties are the gatekeepers of the Parliament. Women can win if political parties include them as equal partners and support them as election candidates.

“Currently PNG has only one women MP, Dame Carol Kidu, the Minister for Community Development, Women, Religion and Sports and Solomon Islands has no women in parliament. By contrast in Timor Leste 30% of elected members of parliament are women as a result of the nature of their electoral system and the affirmative action measures introduced by political parties since independence.

Following three days of intensive learning activities in Cairns the women traveled to Brisbane to observe the Federal Campaign at close quarters and meet with senior Queensland State MPs and party officials. The women also joined Federal candidates on the campaign trail to experience first-hand the nature of Australian campaigning techniques.

Michael Morgan, Labor’s Director of International Projects said there had been great interest in the course.

“We ended up turning away as many people as we let in, and this sets us up for future activities both in Australia and in the region. We are really seeking to build partnerships in the region and to encourage more women into politics.”

Mr Morgan said that Cairns was an ideal location to launch the program as it is that much closer to Asia and the Pacific than southern cities.”