Ann Scott talks about the current challenges facing the Police Service, and notes that while they have worked extremely hard to establish better relations with the Indigenous community, this continues to be a major issue. She also addresses the issue of racism within the Police Service, particularly Colin Dillon's 1997 complaint, drawing the comparison with sexism, and noting that the prejudices within the Police Service reflect those within society more broadly.
Ann Scott speaks about the difficulties for women in the public service, including the glass ceiling, tokenism, sexism and work/life balance. She also speaks about changing recruitment policy, the rise of merit/qualifications based hiring, the introduction of equal opportunity measures, and the importance of women's networking.
Ann Scott talks about her work with the Public Sector Management Commission and the major reforms in which she was involved, including the privatisation of correctional facilities, the changes to the police service in line with the findings of the Fitzgerald Inquiry, and the rise of equal opportunity initiatives across the public service. She also reflects on the challenges posed to the reform agenda by the political cultures of individual departments.
Rosemary Kyburz describes how she became interested in politics while teaching in Argentina after being shocked by the 'macho' culture of that country. On return to Australia she stood for the Liberal Party in 1972 in the Queensland state seat of Salisbury, with the support of her local tennis club and no campaign money. She had no problem getting endorsement as it was a safe Labor seat and no men were willing to nominate. She did not win.
Judy Spence describes the press reaction to her being appointed the first woman Police and Corrective Services Minister, and the unfair questioning as none of her male predecessors had been police officers, and in fact she had spent 6 years as Aboriginal Affairs Minister, and responsible for juvenile justice and child protection in which roles she had dealt extensively with the police and corrections system.
