ESTIMATES COMMITTEE B

Friday 22 June 2007

MEMBERS
Mr Dean
Mr Finch
Mrs Jamieson
Mrs Rattray-Wagner
Ms Ritchie
Mrs Smith (Chair)

SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS
IN ATTENDANCE

Hon. Michelle O'Byrne , Minister for Community Development; Minister assisting the Premier on Local Government

MEN TASMANIA

CHAIR - Any questions, Mr FINCH, on Women Tasmania?

Mr FINCH - No, I do not have a question on Women Tasmania but I am a bit curious to find out, as far as the minister is concerned, whether there is some thought process in respect of Men Tasmania?

Mrs JAMIESON - I mentioned you earlier.

CHAIR - Let us not get out of order.

Ms O'BYRNE - My super staff would love to meet with you on that subject.

Mr FINCH - I just wanted to reiterate to get some more focus.

CHAIR - I did make the comment earlier that Health have done some substantial work on men's health.

Mr FINCH - Thank you very much.

Ms O'BYRNE - The reality is that there is no intention at this stage to create a ministerial position to advise the Government on men. I could say that men already own the world but we will not go there.
Laughter.

Ms O'BYRNE - The reason for the development of this particular role derives from what we all recognise as historical imbalances that occur in gender relations in areas such as sexual health, domestic violence, partnership of women in our social institutions and in our democratic institutions. I could go on –

CHAIR - Not, we will not. There are no intentions at the moment.

Ms O'BYRNE - But we do fund, and there will be an opportunity for us to talk about it later on, organisations such as Men's Shed, so there is a recognition by the State Government of those issues but there is no intention at this stage to create a minister for men.

CHAIR - As we move on we will probably find the rest of the policy areas cross all sectors. Are there any other questions?

Ms O'BYRNE - I am effectively silenced