Australian Minister in New York to Promote Gender Equality at UN Conference

The trip comes after the Labor government last week announced new measures to tie government procurement to gender targets.

The United Nations flag waves outside the Technical Advisory Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights headquarters in Caracas, on February 15, 2024. (Photo by Federico PARRA / AFP) Photo by FEDERICO PARRA/AFP via Getty Images

Australian Minister for Women Katy Gallagher is in New York leading her country’s delegation to the 68th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

Ms. Gallagher is planning to promote Australia’s commitment to “gender equality” at the event in the United States.

In a post to X from New York, Ms. Gallagher said, “Australia is well represented in New York for the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women.

“It was my great pleasure to welcome the broader delegation to town before a big few days of meetings got underway.”

The New York conference is the U.N.’s “largest annual gathering on gender quality and women’s empowerment.”

The theme is to accelerate “the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective.”

Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations James Larsen said it was great to welcome Australia’s delegation, led by Ms. Gallagher and other representatives.

“At CSW68, Australia will advocate for measures to address gender inequality, including through gender-responsive budgeting,” Mr. Larsen said. 

The official delegation from Australia also includes members of the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Natasha Stott Despoja and Mary Wooldridge, CEO of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.

Ms. Gallagher said Australia needed to have a seat at the table of international forums to help create long-lasting change for women and girls worldwide.

“Gender equality is at the heart of the Albanese government’s vision for a better future, and this week I released Australia’s first national strategy to achieve gender equality,” Ms. Gallagher said.

The Labor government last week announced new measures to tie procurement to gender targets in prospective suppliers, meaning companies will need to show they have demonstrated progress in gender equity before winning government contracts.

Ambassador for Gender Equality Stephanie Copus-Campbell, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Executive Director Padma Raman, and Sex Discrimination Commissioner Anna Cody are among the other delegates.

Coalition Raises Women’s Safety Concerns

Meanwhile, Shadow Minister for Women Sussan Ley has raised concerns about women’s safety.

Ms. Ley said there was not enough domestic violence support on the ground after just two out of a promised 500 community workers were hired in the October 2022 budget.

“We have to confront the reality that domestic violence is a crisis across Australia, over a dozen women have been killed already this year, most by domestic violence,” Ms. Ley said.

“I cannot express the depth of my disappointment that only two of the promised 500 domestic violence workers are in place, more than 650 days on since Labor was elected.”

“Women’s safety is a critical precondition for gender equality and the women of Australia deserve accountability from the government.”

Gallagher Playing Down Claims of Favouritism Within Labor Ranks

Senator Gallagher’s New York trip comes amid allegations in the Sydney Morning Herald that the Albanese government is beholden to a “powerful inner circle” where Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Ms. Gallagher are essentially the “co-deputy prime ministers.”

“Katy and Penny are effectively the deputy prime ministers, they are the ‘PM whisperers.’ Katy is a genuinely respected problem solver,” an anonymous Labor minister told the publication.

“Katy wields extraordinary power, and [Treasurer Jim Chalmers] has been very strategic by sticking close to her.”

Treasurer Chalmers has played down any comparison to the “gang of four” situation during the Rudd government, saying on ABC Radio “of course not.”

“This is collective decision‑making; ministers are involved, decisions are endorsed by the full Cabinet. People have an opportunity to put their ideas forward, and we try to understand where they’re coming from, and we try to do our absolute best for ministers in the context of some pretty serious budget constraints,” Mr. Chalmers said.

Mr. Chalmers said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ran a “very inclusive, very consultative operation, and we run a responsible budget, and that means running a tight ship on spending.”

“It means whittling down hundreds of good ideas into a smaller set of priorities that can be funded, and because there’s not a bottomless pit of money, not even all of the good ideas get up, and that’s not always popular.”