Top job gender inequity remains: Goward.

Top job gender inequity remains: Goward. :

"She says it is clear attitudes still need to change.

'This isn't about the law. This is about attitudes, this is about Australian companies, Australian political parties and Australian communities saying we need to have the best,' she said."

We have some really competent women but they either hang onto the "competent women" mode of speech, dress and behaviour which ought to have been a useful stepping stone in developing an individual style of competence or they reach a heady height and then fall off their perch...and not because they are stupid and incompetent. I am concerned we do not seem to have women who can suffer the slings and arrows of the political and media arena. They fair better in the media but in politics they get so far, someone takes potshots and they have no defence or recovery mechanisms so the men take over again. Some able women have stopped their careers moving forward because it is not worth the mental and physical misery of trying to be a mother and a career woman and a partner.I don't know that other western nations are fairing better except a lot more French women are in politics and Germany has elected a woman chancellor. The US has Condoleeza Rice and Hilary Clinton. It could be said woman are not suited to the political arena. I do not believe that. I believe we need to look at the mechanisms because the agenda of chaos , crisis, destruction and threat seems to be a male domain. Do we choose not to enter? Are we hoping it will pass? Do we have a way of authentically redressing the balance? Are women's voices going unheard? I think not. When they speak up and out they never miss their mark. I think of Cindy Sheehan and the woman politician who spoke so well and convincingly over the Iraq invasion. There is something missing in the mix at the moment. We are dealing with perceptions and we are dealing with regrouping. I am not sure where it's going. I do know women are finished redefining themselves and are clear about who they are and what they want. It's the representation and sustainability which is lacking and the reasons are unclear.