Asguard:
An example of this is the public service hiring code that was in place when my parents both worked for the federal goverment (dad for defence surport, mum for the CES and i think she also worked for hatches, matches and dispaches). When they worked there the offical policy was that in the face of two equal aplicatents they should hire the woman. This DOES breach the anti descrimination act but i dont know if this policy has been revoked.
I assume it has been revoked, since it would be illegal without an antidiscrimination exemption.
To take a different example, I was surprised to learn a few days ago that until about 1970, or perhaps a bit after that, women who were teachers in Australia had to be single. As soon as they married, they were forced to resign, on the assumption that their husbands would support them and they were potentially taking a man's job. That was the law.
ABS would no doubt like to see that kind of policy brought back, so he wouldn't have to compete on a level playing field with female teachers for a job.
There IS also an inequality in health care spending. Mens health issues have tended to take a backseat to womens health in Australia. Im sorry if you dont like this but it IS a fact. That ALOT more money is spent each year on breast cancer than prostate cancer is one example.
That suggests to me that women's health issues are better publicised, not that there is a conspiracy to make men suffer.
There is also the problem the goverment has been having finding surport for scholoships into teaching and nursing for men. The universitys want it and so do the industrys but there isnt any public surport for an openly discrimitory policy favoring men (There ARE single sex scholorships for women studying engernering and maths)
The public, of course, includes both men and women. So, no public support tells you... what?
James i dont know why you defend the former goverments anti domestic vilonce campain. The abolision of domestic vilonce and sexual assult IS a worthy cause. I dont however agree that it should have been frased in a gender exsclusive manner.
I think any campaign against domestic violence is better than none. Moreover, as I said before, my
impression (and I'm happy to be proved wrong about this if I am wrong) is that domestic violence against women is more prevalent in Australia than domestic violence against men.
Bells you do realise that one reason that men wont go into teaching is the risk of being falsely accuesed of pedophilia dont you?
I don't think many potential male teachers would have that concern.
Bells:
And if men choose other career paths than teaching, it's the women's faults there are more female teachers? Do you think men should be forced into becoming teachers to help formulate a balanced view of the sexes in early education? My husband's best friend is a primary school teacher and when he was at university, I think he was one of only about 10 males in his year. The reason was that males chose to go into other fields of study. Equality is also about choice ABS. You're a teacher, aren't you? Do you think there should be more male teachers? I do too. But that is up to the individual to choose their profession.
There is a shortage of good teachers full stop, not just male teachers. What is at issue here is not gender, but the why potential teachers choose other careers. The answer is that teachers are overworked, underpaid and undervalued in the current political and social climate (at least in Australia).
The gender discrepancy
might be partly to do with ego and perception of status. Men want to go into what they perceive to be high-status professions. If teaching is considered low status, that will put men off teaching. On the other hand, women tend not to be so egotistical. Other factors may take precedence for them.