The Implementation of Voluntary Gender
Quotas by the Australian Labor Party
Dr Lesley Clark
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ALP is over 100 years old, one of two major parties,
its base is working people, with centre left ideology
Approx 30,000 members spread across the country,
40% of whom are women so that women candidates
can be indentified in all seats
Culture is changing, women now work in equal
partnership with men inside the Party on all decision
making committees and forums
There are also strong and active women’s units which
exercise considerable influence on policy and
decision making to ensure that women’s voices are
heard and acted on.
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The Australian Labor Party is the only
political party in Australia which has
adopted an affirmative action policy
and set gender quota targets for both
internal Party positions and elected
public office positions at all levels of
government.
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Affirmative action was initially applied in
1981 to internal positions only and was set
at 25%. The gender quota has increased over
the last 20+ years and extended to all
positions.
A gender quota was introduced for public
office positions in 1994 and set a target of
35% women candidates to be achieved by
the year 2002.
After 2012 the target will be 40% women
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The ALP is committed to men and women in the
Party working in equal partnership. It is our
objective to have equal numbers of men and
women at all levels in the Party organisation, and in
public office positions the Party holds. To achieve
this the Party adopts a comprehensive affirmative
action model of 40:40:20… whereby a minimum of
40% of relevant positions shall be held by either
gender.
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The current gender quota is gender neutral
in that it applies equally to men and
women. The rule ensures that there will be
a minimum of 40% and a maximum of 60%
of either men or women holding positions
in the Party
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Number to
be elected
3
5
Women 40% Men 40%
Either 20%
1
2
1
2
1
1
7
9
15
20
3
4
6
8
3
4
6
8
1
1
3
4
48
20
20
8
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The AA rules apply to the following seats:
 in relation to lower houses, those seats needed to
form government, or those seats held by Labor,
whichever is the greater; and
 in relation to upper houses, at least 50% of seats in
the upper house, or those seats held by Labor,
whichever is the greater.
 In Queensland the AA rule also applies specifically
to non held but winnable seats defined as those
requiring a swing of 5% or less to win.
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State and Territory Branches of the Party
are required to abide by the principles in
the national constitution and have
amended their rules so as to achieve the
minimum gender quota target of 40%
women candidates.
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The National Executive has the
responsibility and the power to enforce AA
rules generally and specifically to determine
the outcome in any public office preselection in any State or Territory. This
reserve power has never been required to
be used but should ensure that all branches
comply with the national AA rules.
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The gender quota rule can only apply to the
number of women candidates selected to
contest the election
In a majoritarian candidate focussed electoral
system such as Australia’s alternative vote
system the voters ultimately decide the
number of women who will get elected
In order to survive swings against the party at
elections women need to hold sufficient
numbers of safe seats
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In Queensland the ALP holds 51of the 89
seats and women hold 25 of these.
The seats are held by margins ranging from
25% to 0.01% and women are spread evenly
across this spectrum.
Of the 8 safest seats with a margin of 15% or
more, 5 (62.5%) are held by women and of
the 17 seats with a margin of 5% or less, 8
(47.0%) are held by women.
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PARLIAMENT
NUMBER OF LABOR
WOMEN MP’S
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN
IN LABOR CAUCUS
NATIONAL
41
35.7
QUEENSLAND
25
49.0
NEW SOUTH WALES
23
32.9
VICTORIA
27
36.5
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
15
41.7
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
13
34.2
TASMANIA
6
31.6
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL
TERRITORY
3
42.9
NORTHERN TERRITORY
6
46.2
TOTAL
159
37.6
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PARTY
MEN
WOMEN
% WOMEN
ALP
264
159
37.6
LIBERAL PARTY
180
53
22.7
NATIONAL
PARTY
43
9
17.3
GREENS
11
15
57.7
INDEPENDENTS
25
11
30.6
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Set a gender quota target to give enough
time to allow for replacement of men by
women.
Setting gender targets without a clear
method of achieving them, including an
enforcement mechanism, would almost
certainly result in lack of compliance.
Quotas need to be in place for a long time
to achieve cultural change
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Women need to remain vigilant to ensure that
the Party complies with its own gender quota
rules
Once gender quotas are implemented and
women are elected and carry out their role
effectively then opposition to quotas
decreases
Competition between factions in the party to
get women elected helped to ensure women
candidates were identified and supported
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The adoption of gender quota rules,
particularly as they apply to elected
public office positions, requires a long
and intensive campaign by women.
Men do not give up power and
privilege readily.
 Women as well as men will oppose
gender quotas
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Set clear aims and goals
Women MP’s carry out their roles effectively to
show the contribution women can make
Work with other women in the Party. Use women’s
wings and other party units and committees to put
proposals forward to the Party
Use organisations outside the party to advocate on
your behalf
Enlist public support for more women in parliament
using the media
Indentify and enlist influential male champions
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Do women have enough power within the
Party to successfully advocate for candidate
quotas?
Is affirmative action within the Party
structure needed first?
Would a Party disadvantage itself by
adopting a quota and selecting women
candidates?
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Will current male MP’s, men seeking
political office and other party
members be willing to abide by the
rules of the Party?
 Does the party have an executive
willing and able to enforce the Party
rules on affirmative action?
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What measures will be put in place to
educate existing MP’s, party members
and voters to gain support for the
introduction and implementation of
candidate quotas?
 Are there male champions of influence
within the party who will advocate for
quotas?
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How well can the party identify its safe
and winnable seats?
 What support will the party provide to
get women candidates elected?
 Is an external body such as an
Electoral Commission able and willing
to enforce the implementation of
mandatory quotas if necessary?
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Political parties will be reluctant to pre-select
women if they think it will reduce their chances of
winning seats.
If political party quotas were to be adopted then a
mandatory quota applying to all parties could be
more effective than relying on parties to adopt a
voluntary quota system.
Women’s units in political parties will need to
campaign strongly to promote the adoption of any
form of Party gender quota.
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Web site for Australian Labor Party
www.alp.org.au
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Web site for ALP International Projects
www.ip.alp.org.au
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