Getting even: women in Australian politics

In 1894 South Australia became one of the first places in the world to grant women the right to vote and first in the world to allow them to stand as candidates for political office. In 1902, the first Parliament of Australia granted white women the right to vote and to stand for election. Despite this, only 61 women have been elected to Federal Parliament in Australia to date. This film looks at why women’s efforts for greater representation have been continually frustrated, and asks what it is that motivates those women who have made it into the main political game. Female politicians from across the political spectrum talk about their experiences in the ‘boy’s club’ of Australian politics. Australia’s first female Premiers, Carmen Lawrence and Joan Kirner, reflect on their experiences of working at the top of State politics. Bronwyn Bishop, Cheryl Kernot, Amanda Vanstone and others, reveal what lies behind the public face of today’s female politicians. This film also examines the future for women in power, and examines the strategies being used by both major political parties to redress the gender imbalance in our parliaments. The film asks what it really takes for a woman to make it in politics. Has the hard won vote been an effective tool for change or has the political system acted to limit women’s influence? Narrated by Gillian Jones.