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Abbott blasted for naming only 1 woman to Cabinet
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AUSTRALIAN Prime Minister-elect Tony Abbott has rekindled the sexism accusations that have dogged his political career by naming only one woman — Foreign Minister Julie Bishop — to the 19-member Cabinet that will be sworn into government tomorrow.
Six women are among the 42 executive members of government named by Abbott yesterday: Bishop, the deputy leader of the ruling Liberal Party, and five women who will serve in lower ministries or as parliamentary secretary.
Abbott, a 55-year-old former Roman Catholic seminarian, battled perceptions of sexism to lead his conservative coalition to an election victory on September 7. His government is likely to hold 90 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives.
Sue Boyce, a Liberal senator who will retire from Parliament next year, said the lack of women in Abbott’s Cabinet spoiled the win.
“It’s a shame that this shocking and embarrassing statistic will permanently tarnish a wonderful victory,” Boyce said. She urged her party to reform its selection processes to ensure more women get senior roles.
Abbott said he had hoped party stalwart Sophie Mirabella would become a Cabinet minister, but she appears likely to become the only Liberal lawmaker to lose her seat at the election. Vote counting continued yesterday.
“So plainly, I am disappointed that there are not at least two women in the Cabinet,” Abbott said.
“Nevertheless, there are some very good and talented women knocking on the door of the Cabinet and there are lots of good and talented women knocking on the door of the ministries,” he said.
“So I think you can expect to see, as time goes by, more women in both the Cabinet and the ministry,” he added.
Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard had five women in her Labor Party-led government’s 22-member Cabinet.
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