Seafood Women Embrace Best Practice

Senator Amanda Vanstone, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women today launched the “Seafood Women Embrace Best Practice Decision-Making Resource Kit” at the SAFCOL Central Fish Market.

“This is an exciting project that will make a real difference to women working in a traditionally male dominated industry”, Senator Vanstone said.

“The project involves a study of women working in the seafood industry and examines ways they can increase the level of female representation in that industry.

“It found that there are too few women in decision making positions and on the committees and boards where future directions concerning the seafood industry are made.

“To address this imbalance, the group has developed a Charter of Best Practice that can be adopted by boards and committees around the country to ensure that the skills and experience of women are recognised and utilised.

“Mentoring, succession planning and induction programs for women have also emerged as key elements in supporting and influencing women to become more actively involved in decision making within the industry.

“The project also profiles 5 prominent women from the Australian seafood industry, whose background, achievements, ambitions and current role vary from export marketing, fishing sustainability, industry training in competence standards, lecturing, conference speaking and licenced operators.

“It was funded under the National Women’s Non-Government Organisations funding programme by the Commonwealth Office of the Status of Women.

“The Government’s Women’s Development Programme combines increased project funding, support for national women’s secretariats and capacity building activities – successfully supporting the Government’s commitment to a stronger women’s sector,” Senator Vanstone said