Politics

Noted Women’s Issues Expert Alan Jones Says There’s No Glass Ceiling For Women In Politics

"I've never heard anyone argue against someone because she was a woman." - Alan Jones

by Tom Clift  21 May 2019
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Conservative broadcaster Alan Jones has told Q&A that there is “no glass ceiling” for female politicians in Australia. And I’m sure women all over the country are relieved to hear it!

Jones made the comments during a discussion about who will lead the Labor party after Bill Shorten fell spectacularly short at Saturday’s federal election. Panellist and business leader Ming Long said she was disappointed to see Tanya Plibersek pull out of the race, and questioned whether Australia was ready for another female PM.

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“I’m not sure,” she said. “And I’m just so sad to say that, that I can sit here and say we’re not ready as a country. Because we should be ready as a country. It should not matter what your gender is or what your background is … but you have to face the reality of where we are.”

When Q&A host Tony Jones pointed out that we’ve already had a female Prime Minister in Julia Gillard, Ming replied that “we did, and I look at how she was treated, and it wasn’t great”.

“Do I feel like the electorate is ready for another female leader of a country without her gender being front and centre and in everybody’s minds?” Long wondered. “I don’t think it is, unfortunately.”

For his part, former Defence Minister Christopher Pyne said he thought the Australian public “would happily embrace a woman Australian Prime Minister” put up by either party, and that “Julia Gillard has broken that glass ceiling”.

“I don’t think we can assume that the glass ceiling is broken because one person has made it through,” Long shot back.

It was at this point that Alan Jones, truly an authority women’s issues, decided to weigh in.

“There was no glass ceiling for [former WA Premier] Carmen Lawrence, or [NSW Premier] Gladys Berejiklian, or [Queensland Premier] Annastacia Palaszczuk,” Jones insisted. “I agree with Christopher, I think we’re inventing things here. I’ve never heard anyone argue against someone because she was a woman. There have been very good women.”

“You may have forgotten the ditch the witch campaign against Julia Gillard,” countered Tony Jones.

“I’ve never uttered those words in my life,” the radio host replied.

It’s worth remembering that this is the same Alan Jones who said Gillard’s father had “died of shame” over Gillard’s performance as Prime Minister, and also that she should be “put in a chaff bag” and dumped at sea, and also that women leaders were “destroying the joint”.

So when he says he’s never heard anyone argue against anyone because she’s a woman, maybe take that with a tiny pinch of salt, hey.

You can watch Jones’ comments on Q&A below.