MONASH candidates have been quick to support women.
The Legalise Cannabis Party knows that drug laws and policing practices disproportionately harm women, particularly mothers, carers and survivors.
These outdated policies don’t keep us safer; they add to the burden already carried by too many women.
We’re working to change that, and end cannabis-related discrimination, especially in the workplace and child protection system.
Expand access to medicinal cannabis to support women living with pain, endometriosis, trauma and mental health challenges.
Protect women’s freedom to choose natural therapies without fear, stigma or criminalisation.
Every woman deserves to live with dignity, safety, and autonomy.
We’re committed to building a system that respects women, listens to women, and puts compassion first.
And we will fight for that in Parliament.
Legalise Cannabis Party
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As not only a woman myself but also a mother of a daughter, I hear and see the unique health needs and safety concerns of women and girls who have been overlooked or dismissed by our political leaders for far too long, it's unacceptable.
In Monash, women make up the majority of voters yet we still face barriers to accessing quality healthcare, feel unsafe in our communities, and see our pain and experiences minimised.
Throughout my career as a community lawyer, I've witnessed first-hand how our health system too often fails women and girls who need it most.
I've worked with countless clients who have struggled to access mental health services, afford medications, or get the care they need close to home.
In particular, my work supporting women and families escaping domestic violence has shown me the devastating mental health impacts of abuse and trauma.
I've fought tirelessly to help my clients access the counselling and support services that are so desperately needed but are woefully underfunded and oversubscribed.
The time has come for us to have a strong independent voice in Canberra who will fight relentlessly for better health services for women in Monash and real action on women's safety.
We cannot afford to wait any longer.
Deb Leonard (Independent)
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The big issue for the Greens is to fix the tax system, one in three big corporations pay no tax.
The ordinary person is paying a greater share of tax than at any time in Australia's history, this is one of the major causes of the cost of living crisis affecting us all.
The Greens will use our balance of power to push for increased corporate taxation and for the money to be spent where we need it, putting mental and dental into Medicare and increasing the Medicare benefits.
When it comes to women the Greens walk the talk.
Most of our Federal Members (15) are women and the majority of our candidates are women, in seats where Greens are competing with a chance to win all the candidates are women.
The Greens' top candidate in this election is Steph Hodgins-May.
Terence Steele (Greens)
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Over the last eight weeks I've spoken with thousands of Gippsland women, and they've told me that safety, health, childcare, housing, and Peter Dutton's plan to end working-from-home are really big concerns this election.
Labor always puts social and economic equality for women at the heart of our agenda in government because equality for women is not an add-on, it’s at the heart of every decision Labor makes in government.
The Albanese Labor Government has committed more than $4 billion for women’s safety initiatives and if we're re-elected, we'll impose stronger controls on domestic violence perpetrators and take new steps to prevent physical and financial abuse.
We will take steps to prevent perpetrators from using the tax and corporate systems to create debts as a form of coercive control and make perpetrators accountable for these debts if they do, look at making perpetrators liable for social security debts incurred by a victim-survivor due to coercion or financial abuse, and look at how we can stop perpetrators of domestic and family violence from receiving their victim’s superannuation after death.
If re-elected the Albanese Labor Government has pledged to invest an extra $790 million in women’s health, and we will expand the national network of endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics including a dedicated clinic right here in Gippsland.
My partner Dani and I have a three-year-old daughter and an eight-month-old son and we're really pleased that Labor will guarantee eligibility for three days of subsidised childcare a week for all families and children who need it.
Labor has significantly expanded the network of women’s shelters and is working hard to deliver new housing supply to address the housing crisis, including social housing.
Tully Fletcher (Labor)
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Respect for women was a cornerstone of my upbringing, and I thank my parents for that foundation.
When I entered the parliament more than 20 years ago, I was confronted by the realities of domestic violence and the broader inequities women face.
Soon after I hosted a women’s roundtable to identify solutions, but I quickly learned these are complex, deeply embedded issues.
It is distressing that many women continue to suffer, perhaps now more than ever, and completely unacceptable that Gippsland continues to record some of Victoria’s highest domestic violence rates.
I have long supported women’s safety, equity, and leadership.
In March 2022, I publicly supported the Women’s March in Canberra, despite party pressure not to.
Respect for women must be more than rhetoric, it must shape policy, services, and workplace culture, that includes support for parents, flexible work, and properly resourced, community-informed services.
Russell Broadbent MHR (Independent)
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Respect for women was a cornerstone of my upbringing, and I thank my parents for that foundation.
As a genuine local candidate with a track record of community engagement, I have been working to raise issues that are important to women in Monash for many years.
Having served on a local hospital board, community aged care and Lifeline Gippsland I understand first-hand how important mental health and access to affordable and available healthcare is.
Family violence is a critical issue across many parts of our community and only the Coalition has a strong national plan to resource this issue through a strong national response.
The Coalition will implement a National Domestic Violence Register to help police access and share information about a person’s previous family violence convictions.
We will introduce specialist intervention and tougher monitoring measures for perpetrators and fast-track property settlements in the family law courts.
We’ll protect victims by the establishment of new offences and developing uniform knife laws across Australia.
Other candidates talk about raising issues, only the Coalition has a real plan to deliver real national reform measures that will tackle violence against women.
The Coalition will invest billions of dollars in targeted health measures to better support women through menopause, plus we’ll open specialist pain clinics to support women dealing with endometriosis and pelvic pain.
As a candidate, I have genuine local experience and an up to date, modern understanding of our health challenges across Monash.
As part of a strong Coalition team, I’ve got a direct line to senior people like the Shadow Health Minister, Senator Anne Ruston who visited South Gippsland this month with me.
With your support, I’ll deliver for our community.
Mary Aldred (Liberal)
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AS A woman, a mother of three children including two daughters, and a registered nurse who has worked closely with women’s health I am acutely aware of the challenges that many women in our community face.
My personal experience with chronic pain due to multiple disc bulges from years of working as a nurse, has given me a first-hand understanding of the difficulties that many women deal with when it comes to their health particularly when their pain is dismissed or not properly addressed.
Living with chronic pain has taught me just how important it is to advocate for better pain management and a more responsive healthcare system.
I understand the frustration many women feel when their health concerns are minimised or misunderstood, and this is something I am passionate about changing.
Women deserve to be taken seriously when it comes to their health, and I will work to ensure that more research is done into women’s specific health issues and that our healthcare system listens and responds more effectively to their needs.
The issue of family violence is another area that I am deeply committed to especially because of my cultural background where this is an ongoing and significant problem.
As someone who has supported many women in my community who have been victims of domestic violence, I know how devastating this issue can be.
It’s imperative that we not only offer more support for victims but also put measures in place to prevent violence in the first place, every woman deserves to feel safe in her own home and community and I will advocate for policies that provide real solutions to address family violence.
Women’s mental health is another critical area that requires immediate attention.
As a nurse and someone who has worked closely with women I know that mental health challenges often go hand in hand with physical health issues yet there is a significant gap in support, especially in regional areas like Monash.
I am committed to ensuring that mental health services are available and accessible to all women who need them whether they are dealing with the aftermath of family violence, chronic pain, or other life challenges.
Education particularly the way girls are supported in schools is another area that needs reform.
Girls should be empowered to be confident, independent and assertive, not taught to be apologetic or subservient.
We need to ensure that girls have the same opportunities as boys to succeed and thrive, and that includes addressing bullying and creating safe spaces where they can flourish.
Finally, housing affordability is an ongoing issue for many women, particularly single mothers and young women entering the workforce.
Affordable housing should not be a luxury, it is a basic necessity for all women, and I will work towards policies that make housing more accessible to those who need it most.
As a candidate for One Nation, I am committed to putting the needs of women in Monash first especially when it comes to health, safety, and empowerment.
Kuljeet Kaur Robinson (One Nation)
