Penny Wong visits Page to get lowdown on maccas
SENATE Opposition Leader Penny Wong joined local Labor candidate for Page Janelle Saffin for a whirlwind tour of the region, visiting a local preschool, macadamia farm and processing factory.
In addition to showing support for Ms Saffin, the Shadow Minister for Trade said the visit yesterday and today was also about gaining a better understanding of the macadamia industry, which Australia leads the world in production of.
"As Shadow Minister for Trade, and given Janelle's interest in this industry and how important an export industry it is, I was very keen to learn a bit more and I've learnt a lot today," she said during a tour of the Macadamia Processing Centre at Alphadale.
Ms Wong said the Page electorate was an important seat in the upcoming election and one that reflected national concerns such as the uncapping of university fees, GP tax, the NBN roll-out and Gonski reforms.
Her visit fell on International Women's Day, which she said was an important day to re-commit to gender equality goals.
"We have achieved formal and legal equality for women ... but we're still not equal," she said.
"You (as a woman) over your lifetime ... will earn, at the moment, 17% less than a man.
"You will retire with significantly fewer retirement savings. Women are also much more likely to be victims of violence, family violence and sexual assault so there are a whole range of different ways we don't have real equality and our daughters are still going to be disadvantaged.
"The question on every International Women's Day is what can we do to change that?
"There's actually an economic argument as well as a moral argument there, which is you don't get the best out of your community if you're holding half of them back."
Ms Wong said gender inequality included both structural and systemic issues which could be addressed by government policy.
The marriage equality advocate has promised The Northern Star she will spend New Year's at the annual Lismore Tropical Fruits festival if Ms Saffin is elected.
Labor leader Bill Shorten will visit tomorrow to address a community forum alongside Ms Saffin at Lismore City Hall, from noon.
