Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL (Coogee) (20:01:09): I speak on the life of the Hon. Susan Ryan, AO. Susan Ryan was many things to many people, but to me and many others in the electorate of Coogee she was an inspiration, a role model, and someone that everyone should be proud to have known. Susan grew up in the eastern suburbs and attended Brigidine College in Randwick. Her last moments were spent doing one of the things she loved most: swimming at Coogee Beach. In 1975 Susan Ryan was elected to the Australian Senate as one of the first two senators for the Australian Capital Territory. Susan ran on the slogan, "A woman's place is in the Senate"—a slogan that has proved truer and truer as each Federal election is held. She was a trailblazer for women all across Australia. With the election of the Hawke Government in 1983 she became the first female Labor Minister in the Australian Parliament, holding the portfolios of education, youth affairs and the status of women.
Through the latter of those ministerial portfolios, she was tasked with dismantling gender inequality in Australia. As Susan herself reflected in an interview in 2019, at the time she became the Minister for the Status of Women it was not unlawful to sack a woman for getting married or becoming pregnant, or simply just because she was a woman. Maternity leave was scarce. Women would struggle to get home loans. Higher education was seen as something for boys, not girls, and university attendance rates reflected that. To solve those issues, Susan introduced the Sex Discrimination Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender, marital status or pregnancy, and to protect women from sexual harassment. As a result, Susan was labelled "Australia's feminist dictator" and the bill was targeted countless times. Parts of Australian society said that the bill would destroy the family, the economy and even civilisation itself.
For nearly a year Susan and the bill were relentlessly attacked, until the bill passed in May 1984. But as we can see clearly today, the bill did none of the things its critics accused it of. What the bill did was protect and empower women across Australia. It was one of the legal foundations on which women's economic independence was built, and it has strengthened women's rights at work. That bill and the Affirmative Action (Equal Employment Opportunity for Women) Act 1986 form a significant part of the foundation on which subsequent and current fights for gender equality are built. In addition to fighting against gendered discrimination in the workplace and in personal finance, Susan Ryan worked to make education more accessible and attainable for all Australians. In her time as education Minister, retention rates improved in secondary schools, and participation increased in TAFEs and universities across Australia. As former Prime Minister Paul Keating noted following Susan's passing:
One of her greatest achievements was lifting year 12 retention rates from three in 10 when she took office in 1983 to nine in 10 in 1996.
Susan Ryan left Parliament in 1984 and served in a number of roles in her post-parliamentary life, including as publishing editor for Penguin Australia. She headed the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia, served as a Pro-Chancellor at the University of New South Wales and was the Deputy Chair of the Australian Republican Movement. In 1990 Susan was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for her services to the Australian Parliament. In 2011 Susan was appointed Australia's first Age Discrimination Commissioner in the Australian Human Rights Commission and also Disability Discrimination Commissioner from 2014 until both positions ended in 2016.
It was when she was the Age Discrimination Commissioner that I first worked with Susan as I was working on my PhD which focused on older Australians and superannuation. Susan happily gave me her precious time and it is that generosity of spirit and deep commitment to social inclusion and social improvement that I will always remember. Regardless of the party, Susan Ryan paved the way for women in Parliaments and ministries across Australia. Her contributions to Australia were numerous and significant and will be felt long into the future. Susan Ryan was a feminist, a human rights campaigner, a trailblazer, a strong Labor woman and one of the funniest and most compassionate women I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. My thoughts are with her loved ones during this difficult time. Susan will be sorely missed.
