The perfect example of women’s empowerment has been exhibited in Tasmania. It has become the first state in Australia to elect a female-majority to its legislature.
Australia’s smallest island state, held its election on March 3 this year, but counting could not be finalised until this week.
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), which is not a state, also elected a female-majority legislature in 2016.
Thirteen women and 12 men were elected to Tasmania’s Lower House of Assembly and local politicians said the milestone was “overwhelmingly exciting”. “It demonstrates to young women that a political future and leadership roles are attainable,” said Michelle O’Byrne, deputy leader of the Opposition Labour Party.
The Tasmania and ACT legislatures have a higher proportion of women than Australia’s federal parliament, where almost 70% of parliamentarians are men.The World Economic Forum’s 2017 Global Gender Gap Index found that women comprised 28% of parliamentarians worldwide.
