'Embarrassing': Female entrepreneurs hit out at political scene

Some of Australia's leading female entrepreneurs have delivered a scathing assessment of federal politics, calling out parliament for failing to empower women even as they launch successful companies in record numbers.

Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday, Red Balloon founder Naomi Simson, Business Chicks chief executive Olivia Ruello and Indigital founder Mikaela Jade said the country's political sphere had to change.

Asked by panel host Sabra Lane to reflect on current conversations about the place of women in politics,  Simson said discussions about how welcoming parliament is for women are shocking.

"If I had my way, I’d go up there and punch a few of them in the nose," Simson said.

"If this was in corporate Australia, it would be pilloried."

On Tuesday, Member for Chisholm Julia Banks said respect for women in politics was "years behind the business world" as she announced defection from the Liberal Party.

Ruello said recent suggestions of intimidation and exclusion of women in parliament would result in "instant dismissal" in the corporate world. "It’s embarrassing — what’s going on is an absolute travesty," she said. Read more

Emma Koehn - Brisbane Times - 28 November 2018