Gender Politics !

Politics is clearly a numbers game and that game is never more brutal than when a spill of office holders is in progress  We have just seen the person holding the job of prime minister replaced by another and that involved a frantic bout of marshalling the votes of all and every party member.

Rewards were on offer to induce the key players to join alliances and it is not unusual for even the lesser perks of office to come into play.  Along with rewards there are also threats to coerce votes the way various factions are heading and some of those can be offensive.   It is a time of stretched nerves near breaking point as high office seems realistically within reach of faction heavyweights.

Sadly, Victorian Liberal Julia Banks has announced that she will not contest her seat at the next election.  She expressed concern and disgust at the bullying and intimidation employed to line up votes to decide an outcome.   This backbencher gained her seat at the 2016 election.  She will not cause a byelection by resigning immediately, but will simply not nominate when the next election is called.

The balance of women in the Federal parliament is lacking and this withdrawal will probably deter some women aspirants considering a parliamentary career. Misogynist elements will receive the news with glee because they claim women are too weak and parliament is a place for men. Women members have been steadily increasing and this will be an obvious setback for the women's movement.

Women have served in just about every major role in Federal parliament, including as prime minister. Women presently hold several important ministerial portfolios and today they serve at all levels in the civil and defence industries of this nation.  There is the expectation that eventually the gender balance in parliament will duplicate that of the Australian population.

It is unrealistic to expect that all forms of pressure and intimidation will disappear from the parliamentary process.  When a person of either gender wins a seat in parliament it comes with the right to express a vote when called for by the speaker.  Party politics is such that some within that party may equally support and oppose the action under consideration, and each members vote becomes vital.  It is part of the process to lobby each voter to cast their vote according to the needs of either supporting or rejecting groups.

Human nature being as it is, the pressure can become extreme to achieve the desired outcome.  What to some people seems a valid argument may be termed bullying by others, but at all times the voting decision remains the prerogative of that member to decide.

Hopefully, Julia Bank's decision - which is her personal choice - will not dissuade other women from throwing their hat into the parliamentary ring.  But let them acknowledge that parliament can get very unruly from time to time and that this will test their resolve.  It is a place for people with steady nerves and iron discipline - of either gender !