An LNP politician has questioned how Queensland's new Parole Board can be considered "diverse" when it has more women than men.
Opposition Corrective Services spokesman Tim Mander asked Minister Mark Ryan how the new Parole Board was "diverse" when there was a "major gender imbalance", with 68 per cent of appointees female and "only 32 per cent male".
"How can you describe these appointments as diverse when there's such a major gender imbalance?" Mr Mander asked, during budget estimates on Thursday.
An incredulous Corrective Services Minister Mark Ryan said the members were appointed based on merit.
"I can't believe we're getting a question complaining about the number of women appointed to a parole board," he said.
Here's what they said (full transcript):
Mander: Minister I refer to page 18 of the SDS, and the question is about the new Parole Board which you've announced recently. You've talked about the fact that it's important to have diversity on that board and I'd agree with that.
Minister, 68 per cent of these appointees are female and only 32 per cent are male. Of the professional members, 100 per cent are female, and that even exceeds the Labor party's quota system. How can you describe these appointments as diverse when there's such a major gender imbalance?
Ryan: I can't believe we're getting a question complaining about the number of women appointed to a parole board, my God, what will it come to next?
We of course went through a merit-based process when it came to appointing members of the new Parole Board and what a calibre of people we've got on the Parole Board.
The president of the Parole Board, Michael Byrne QC, a tremendous appointment, very talented in the law, a man who has an extensive criminal law practice and a fine legal mind. Not only a great appointment, but also a person who's very committed to the Sofronoff reforms.
We also see two very experienced lawyers appointed as deputy president of the Parole Board, Peter Shields, a lawyer of many years, had his own practice, practice in the criminal law and also was on a number of Queensland Law Society committees in respect of the criminal law and other aspects of the law. And Julie Sharp, a barrister of some almost two decades from my understanding.
We've also got a number of significant appointments too as committee and professional members of the Parole Board. So, you're right in identifying that we've got some magnificent people appointed as professional members of the Parole Board: Barbara Kent, an experienced barrister of 29 years, she's spent 25 years teaching law at the Queensland University of Technology, she has got proven experience and has been a...
You're right in identifying that we've got some magnificent people appointed as professional members of the Parole Board
Minister Mark Ryan
Mander: Minister, please don't read the qualifications for every member.
Ryan: No, you're asking about...
Mander: No, I'm asking about gender diversity.
Ryan: No, you're implying that...
Mander: There are 68 per cent of these appointees are female, and 32 per cent are male and you are claiming that this is a diverse board, it is obviously not reflective.
Ryan: You are making an outrageous inference that just because they're female, they're not going to be qualified on the board.
Mander: No, I am talking diversity.
Ryan: You're making an outrageous inference.
Mander: I'm talking about diversity.
Ryan: I am talking about the magnificent diversity that we've got on our Parole Board.
Mander: No one is denying their qualifications.
Chair Duncan Pegg: You've had a chance to clarify your question and make your point, I call the Minister.
Ryan: And can I reinforce of course the merits-based process that we went through with appointing people, was a national recruitment process by professional recruiting firm, there was a panel that interviewed those people who were appointed, who were recommended for appointment.
The recommendations for appointment were actually made by the president of the Parole Board to me as Minister and I accepted his recommendations, so, member when you're casting aspersions in your question, you're actually, you're actually casting aspersions about the process and the recommendations made by the president of the Parole Board to me, and again I just can't believe that we've got a question complaining about the number of women...
Mander: Well what other factors did you consider when you consider diversity, Minister? What other factors did you consider?
Pegg: Order, order.
Mander: If you didn't consider gender, what did you consider?
Ryan: You're getting worked up about this and maybe this underlies the motivation for your question to criticise the number of women.
Mander: Well, qualifications aren't the only criteria, you said diversity is the criteria, so are you going to talk about other elements, but you're not going to talk about gender.
Ryan: Let's talk about the diversity and having seven Indigenous people.
Mander: That's right.
Ryan: And you're criticising...
Mander: Totally appropriate.
Ryan: And you're criticising the constitution of the board...
Mander: Totally appropriate.
Ryan: You can't have a...
Mander: What you're saying is that gender is not one of those elements.
Ryan: You can't say it's appropriate to have a constitution of a board that's not diverse and then when I say seven Indigenous people are on it, you suddenly say it is diverse.
Mander: It's not diverse in the area of gender.
Ryan: I think you're getting caught up in it.
Mander: I'm not.
Ryan: It's underlying a criticism about the number of women on a board, again, I just can't believe it, can't believe someone would make an assertion like that.
Mander: 97 per cent of prisoners are males.
Ryan: I can't believe, I can't believe that someone would make an aspersion like you have just done, so, talking about diversity, we've got seven Indigenous people on the Board, we've got a number of people from rural and regional Queensland on the Board, from memory, I don't have the exact number here, but from memory I think it's about seven who are from rural and regional parts of Queensland, we've also got two police officers on the Board, we've got public servants on the Board, we've got 24 community members and we've got three legal professionals, all people of significant experience and the member, I think it's important for us to highlight this experience because the member is making an allegation that the four women who have been appointed as professional members of the Parole Board are for whatever reason not worthy...
Mander: No, that's untrue.
Ryan: No, that's right, well you're criticising it.
Mander: That's asking. I am asking if gender was part of the diversity criteria.
Pegg: Member for Everton, you're being unruly, allow the Minister to respond to your question.
Mander: Oh he's provoking me, Mr Chairman.
Pegg: Well, you're very easily provoked, member for Everton, I call the Minister.
Ryan: You need to get a bit tougher, Tim. Barbara Kent, an experienced barrister with 29 years experience, a very worthy appointment, as a professional member. Carolyn McAnally, acting director of JAG Strategic Policy for a number of years, also 19 years legal experience including 10 years with the director of public prosecution, including time as a crown prosecutor. Kylie Anderson, who is the manager of the Child Death Case Review Panel secretariat, over 17 years experience as a legal practitioner, adviser, senior manager within government and Beverley Russell who is the health professional appointed to the board, who holds a master of social science, Bachelor of Health Science, she has specialist nursing qualifications in mental health, psychiatric and alcohol and drug areas, she was a member of QCAT for five years, member of the Mental Health Review Tribunal for six years and since 2009, she's been the team leader of prison mental health service, in West Moreton Hospital and Health Service.
I'm very proud of the constitution of our Parole Board. This went through a very thorough merits-based approval process, the appointments were made on the recommendation of the president of the Parole Board, he was asked to look at diversity and he's got the diversity right including indigenous representation, rural and regional representation as well as also of course community members who come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. I commend the president on his recommendations and I also wish the Parole Board all the very best for its work that it will do, it is very important work, it's an exciting time to be in Corrective Services because of the Sofronoff Review, and I'm confident that the work that our new Parole Board will do will contribute to a safer Queensland.
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