NCWQ STATE CO-ORDINATOR’S REPORT
Prepared for AGM 2022
by Pat Pepper, State Coordinator.
Advocacy continues to be an important part of the advisership role. Several submissions have been prepared this year. The recommendations are supported by the Advisers with appropriate rationale based on their referenced research. The way the Advisers have shared their expertise and experience and given so generously of their time has not only been commendable but outstanding. This is not always easy as we are all volunteers with other responsibilities and commitments. Thank you to all of the advisers for their significant contributions.
INQUIRY INTO DEVELOPMENT OF RENEWABLE PROJECTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN THE QREZ submission to the Queensland Renewable Energy Zones, QREZ, Department of Energy and Public Works prepared by Deslyn Taylor (NCWQ Education Adviser), Dr Pat Pepper (NCWQ Environment Adviser) and Michelle Hunter (NCWQ Member).
SDGs 7,12,13
Recommendation:
That a Structured Transition Plan be created for each QREZ. This could include: –
- A taskforce for each QREZ which includes all key stakeholders. The taskforce should involve the community affected, Unions, Government representatives at both State and Federal level and will require those taking part to be prepared to negotiate to achieve the stated goal.
- A decision that no worker should be forced out of employment, so the plan needs to include extensive retraining opportunities, support for early retirement and redeployment and/or cross-skilling of workers e.g. to other industries that have long term prospects.
- Government funding that will target the creation of jobs. This could include new transport infrastructure and waterways rehabilitation.
- Re-purposing of mine sites. This work must be undertaken and could create jobs and opportunities. Mines could be converted into parks, exhibition areas and museums which might make the area more attractive to tourists in the future and have an added benefit for local communities. Disused mining pits could be investigated for possible use as pumped hydro storage.
- Prioritise the integration of renewable energy into existing mines to reduce the environmental impact of mines producing new economy minerals and to provide longevity to coal mining zones.
- Invest in the local manufacturing of new economy minerals to supply renewable infrastructure to mining sites
- Limit the transport of renewable energy produced in the QREZ by supplying local, energy-intensive industries with the generated energy
- The promotion and provision of incentives for the recycling industries to prevent adverse effects of waste on human health and the environment from photovoltaic and wind turbine systems and Recycling industries would also provide employment opportunities.
- Proactive advancement of National Approach to manage lifecycles of renewable systems.
- The investigation of minerals that would enhance battery life and may provide other opportunities for industry.
SUBMISSION FOR NEW QUEENSLAND WOMEN’S STRATEGY to the Office of Women and Violence Prevention, Department of Justice and Attorney- General prepared by Dr Donnell Davis (NCWQ Habitat Adviser), Tracey Martin (NCWQ Rural, Regional and Remote Women Adviser), Deslyn Taylor (NCWQ Education Adviser), Dr Kathryn Mainstone (NCWQ Health Adviser) and Dr Pat Pepper (NCWQ State Coordinator & NCWQ Environment Adviser).
Recommendations:
- The Queensland Government improve transparency of decision-making for indigenous women facing family violence to address cultural bias in processes and embrace indigenous community care for extended families.
Gender equality systems
- The Queensland Treasury establish a gender analysis unit to determine the impact of changes to legislation, policy, and regulations.
- a Gender Regulatory Impact Statement becomes part of the Cabinet Policy Development and Parliamentary Counsel bill and amendment process.
- Government funded entities provide a statement of gender equality compliance as part of statutory reporting, endorsed by the Accountable Officer.
- the Special Commissioner for Equity and Diversity advocate for shorter working week for all.
- Treasury seeds the establishment of a ‘women’s bank’, as in other countries, so that systems are gender-sensitive for housing security and small business development.
- The Queensland Government retains high priority for housing the homeless and evaluates the impact of investments (how many girls, women and families become safer).
Mental Health
Queensland Health
- promotes education for GPs towards resources in the community available for GPs to refer patients.
- increases funding to mental health services across the state by approximately 50%.
Impacts of climatic disaster on women
The Queensland Government
- encourage and promote women to take on policy and resource management roles.
- include women’s organisations and providers of women’s services in disaster planning processes and resource them.
- educate post disaster counsellors to identify and support women vulnerable to domestic violence.
- invest in Trade and Foreign Policy to benefit women and families (Feminist Foreign Policy) especially in Asia Pacific climate responses and green technology.
Rural women
The Queensland Government
- prevent unethical, unintended consequences of disaster recovery systems, by valuing the contribution of rural, remote and regional women, in the design, planning, early intervention, emergency management, and recovery systems. Financial support can multiply capacity to engage.
The Public Service Commissioner
- nurture four successful attributes (empathy, compassion, listening and collaboration) in all decision-makers in order to strengthen better resilience ( Covid-model).
The new Special Commissioner for Equity and Diversity, through Women Policy:
- enables role plays to demonstrate better conduct to eliminate bias.
- advances opportunities for women in technology, programming, analysis, reporting parameters so that fundamental bias is mitigated, in order that better information is available for better decision-making.
The Queensland Government
- promote the Positive Parenting Program and Alternative to Violence program to build better interpersonal skills for women and men, in the home, community, work and
Gender equal perception:
The Queensland Government
- promote positive case studies for exemplary masculine care-giving and parenting.
- actively encourage a culture at work, studying, playing sport, career advancement and in professional bodies, that is safe, normal, acceptable for joint parenting.
- reintroduce ‘100 inspiring women’ to be announced in Parliament every year, with an annual exhibition and a paragraph on each contribution to a better society as previously done over a decade ago. These exhibitions should be showcased in libraries, schools and cathedrals.
Promoting gender equality
The Special Commissioner for Equity and Diversity
- encourage best practice in Queensland industries and workplaces that meet compliance standards and advance gender equality.
The Queensland Government
- use role modelling for gender equality in
- Opportunities to study
- Cooperation in sports teams, and work groups for inclusive productivity,
- Encompassing joint careers,
- Shared parenting and care giving.
- positively encourage gender and racial diversity for issue identification, designing, planning, decision-making, priorities for funding, evaluation of impact, and accountability for reform.
- promote gender equality on government, agency, statutory body, and joint venture boards as a normal process, enabling remote workers/applicants. Merit and competency should apply for decision making but suitable women and minorities should be encouraged to apply
- enhance relationships with NGOs while strengthening the capacity of organisations such as the National Council of Women.
- seriously consider women’s voices and implement desirable changes recommended because they speak for the voiceless, the children, the disabled, the marginalised, the vulnerable and the community.
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN QUEENSLAND submission to the Queensland Government prepared by Deslyn Taylor, NCWQ Education Adviser. SDGs: 4, 5, 10
Recommendations: –
The Queensland Government to
- make Kindergarten free for all children, not only those who are vulnerable and/or disadvantaged
- fund Kindergartens to run for 30 hours per week so that we may improve Queensland’s literacy and numeracy standards and allow parents to participate in the workforce more easily. Kindergarten to run for 30 hours per week to allow parents to enter the workforce more easily
MARINE PLASTIC POLLUTION AND POSSIBLE AMELIORATING MEASURES submission to Federal Government prepared by Pat Pepper, NCWA and NCWQ Environment Adviser. SDGs 3/11/12/14/15/17
Recommendations:
The Federal Government to
- support the research and development of advanced recycling technologies (chemical, molecular or feedstock recycling).
- adopt a circular economy for plastics with advanced recycling technologies, and utilising existing manufacturing infrastructure to help Australia reach targets.
- encourage Shire Councils to identify outlets to the sea which carry plastic, and to deploy low-cost, low-tech solutions to capture the litter.
- enable Pacific Island countries through Pacific Ocean Litter Project, to likewise deploy low-cost, low-tech solutions to capture the litter from streams and rivers.
Resolution to NCWA Conference prepared by Deslyn Taylor, NCWQ Education Adviser.
NCWA calls on the Federal Government to extend Universal Preschool to include all children in the 2 years before they start school which would include three-year-olds.
I am indebted to and would like to thank all NCWQ Advisers (past and current*) who have supported me in my role over the last four years as State Coordinator: Consumer Affairs and Nutrition, Val Cocksedge OAM; Rural, Regional & Remote Women, Tracey Martin*; International Relations and Peace and Human Rights, Georgina Pickers; Health, Dr Kathryn Mainstone*; Habitat, Dr Donnell Davis; Arts& Letters and Music, Jennifer Ann Davies; Education, Deslyn Taylor*; Child, Youth & Family, Dr Leanne Francia. I hope my successor finds the role rewarding and challenging and wish her every success in her endeavours.
Pat Pepper, State Coordinator