Anika Wells: Called to action
“The people our Parliament most needs to hear from are the people who find it hardest to get here.”
Almost 100 years ago, Edith Cowan became the first woman elected to an Australian parliament, in March 1921.
In Her Seat is asking as many currently serving female politicians as we can how they view gender equality, politics and their impact.
This is a non-partisan project that is soliciting contributions from women in all parties, or none at all, in every parliament.
Anika Wells is the Member for Lilley (Queensland) in the Federal Parliament.
At 35, she is the youngest woman in the House of Representatives — she also gave birth to twins recently, which was announced in Parliament (watch the video here).
Engaged in the community as a volunteer from childhood, Anika co-founded her local parkrun at Chermside, and more than 5,000 participants have completed the course since mid-2015, covering more than 150,000 km on the local footpaths throughout 7th Brigade Park.
Before entering Parliament she was a workplace injury lawyer, and like other women around the world, decided to stand after the outcome of the 2016 US election.
Anika is focused on her community and supporting them through the pandemic — and showing them that you can be a parent to young children and still be a fierce advocate in politics.
What does gender equality mean to you?
Continuing the fight for gender equality pays respect to the women of the past, who stood up against discrimination and demanded equal rights; envisaging future generations exercising freedom, living free from violence, oppression and discrimination and igniting the fire in everyone today to fight for parity in all aspects of human development.
Which female politicians have inspired or encouraged you?
Inspiration is found close to home in a former Member for Lilley, the late Elaine Darling, who was the first woman from Queensland to be elected to the House of Representatives in 1980.
She is widely remembered not only by former colleagues but by her former constituents as a woman who was committed to the welfare of Northsiders.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg isn’t a politician but she served in one of the three branches of federal government as the oldest justice at the US Supreme Court.
Everything she has achieved, she has achieved through working harder than anyone else. Her integrity is unquestioned and her legacy will be enduring.
What inspired you to serve your community?
When President Trump won the White House fuelled by anger and hate, our kids watched it happen.
Now I want them to see us do our job and fight back.
I’m part of a wave of women right across the globe who decided to run for public office after the 2016 US Election, which taught us that we cannot take progress for granted.
We must each play our part in pushing the world forward.
What are the most important contributions you are making in Parliament?
As a first-term opposition backbencher, my contribution to the Parliament is first and foremost about the needs of my community.
In a global pandemic, that matters more than ever.
As the youngest woman in the House of Representatives, I also try to be the change I wish to see in the world, which means being honest and transparent about the hustle of community work, parliamentary duty and mothering young children and working with anyone who’ll join me in progressing the cause for working mothers.
What is next for gender equality in politics?
It’s vital that we fasten down some of the elements of the COVID response that has made our Federal Parliament potentially a more inclusive and representative place.
At the moment, the people our Parliament most needs to hear from are the people who find it hardest to get here.
Allowing some elements of our Parliamentary work to be delivered flexibly would allow more people with caregiving responsibilities to consider representing their communities for the benefit of us all.
In Her Seat interviews can be accessed here
