Fed: ALP women renew push for greater representation
By Sandra O'Malley
CANBERRA, April 8 AAP - Women within the Labor Party will renew their push to increasetheir parliamentary representation, aiming to put female candidates in 50 per cent ofwinnable seats.
At the last election the ALP met its 2002 target of female preselection in 35 per centof winnable seats, a quota agreed by the party in 1994.
The issue will be high on the agenda at the National Labor Women's Conference in Canberralater this month.
Former Victorian premier Joan Kirner, co-convenor of lobby group Emily's List, toldAAP the real challenge was to persuade the wider party to accept the idea, adopted atthe National Labor Women's Conference in 2000.
"The real challenge is not only to get agreement about the target but about how weget it accepted and then get it right through the party, not just in parliament but inadministration, leadership positions," Ms Kirner said.
Reaching the 35 per cent quota agreed in 1994 had been a real challenge, she said,taking 12 months to attract support from the unions and factional leaders.
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KEYWORD: LABOR WOMEN
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