Abstract
ABSTRACTThe percentage of women elected in the Australian Parliament is comparatively low. This poor track record has generated debate within political parties about the necessity of gender quotas (or targets) to increase women’s representation. Using the 2016 Australian Election Study, this paper proposes to test support for different measures aiming to increasing women’s representation in Australian politics. More specifically, I investigate the role of partisanship in explaining gender differences in support for gender quotas. I find that differences in support for quotas are greater among women, and among men, than between women and men. The paper also demonstrates that the role of political values in explaining differences in support for gender quotas is non-uniform. Indeed, attitudes towards government intervention, minority rights, and gender equality are more crucial in explaining differences in support for legislative quotas among men than among women.
Highlights
The disparity in the gender gap in parliament between the Australian Labor Party and Liberal Party has grown over time
After the recent by election in Batman, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) made headlines because the party had achieved near gender parity with 48% of women elected in the Australian Parliament
Using the Australian Election Study (AES) conducted in 2016, I investigate the level of support for gender quotas and whether voters believe something should be done to increase the presence of women in politics
Summary
After the recent by election in Batman, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) made headlines because the party had achieved near gender parity with 48% of women elected in the Australian Parliament. Discussions of gender division among elected representatives and candidates have occupied the Liberal Party of Australia (LPA). The presence of these debates about women’s representation in politics in Australia might be a consequence of a comparatively low percentage of elected women in the legislature.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
