Tony Abbott slams ‘anti-men’ policy

Former prime minister Tony Abbott has talked down a proposal to set gender workforce quotas, branding it “anti-men”.

Abbott was talking on Sydney radio station 2GB when he rubbished the idea put forward by the Human Rights Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins to force the federal government to make private sector contractors hire more women.

“Pull your head in,” Abbott said of Jenkins.

“We absolutely have to give women a fair go but some of this stuff sounds like it’s just anti-men.”

Under Jenkins proposal, employers would have to hire 40 per cent women to even out the playing field and ensure a more equal balance between sexes.

Abbott added that if the Government really wanted to help women the best thing they could do would be to get good conservative women in Parliament.

“That’s one of the challenges which faces my party right now,” he said.

What do you think of this idea? Should employers be forced to hire equal amounts of men and women? Or should it just be skills based?