Strong Female Lead Panel

A discussion of leadership, sexism and cultural change - from women who are leading the way.

Voices of Mornington Peninsula is excited to present STRONG FEMALE LEAD, an online panel discussion with the filmmaker of Strong Female Lead and a panel of women leaders.

Before joining the panel you can view the trailer here and watch the full film on SBS ON DEMAND.

Our panel includes – Strong Female Lead Writer & Director Tosca Looby, March4Justice Founder Janine Hendry and Women’s Rights Convenor Joanna Hayter, AO.

Strong Female Lead relies only on archival footage of the day to describe Gillard’s time in office. In doing so, it creates an honest portrait of a nation’s response to a female prime minister and illuminates the chain of events which culminated in Gillard’s now-famous misogyny speech. It also reveals the international response to this speech, while Australia’s own press gallery let it pass virtually unnoticed. 

In 2010 when Julia Gillard was sworn in as Australia’s 27th prime minister, it seemed the glass ceiling had been smashed and there were no limits to the political aspirations of Australian girls and women. What followed was unprecedented. Attacks on Gillard increased in their vitriol and sexual violence over the course of her tenure. Politics might be harsh but no prime minister, before or after Gillard, has endured the same level of contempt. 

After three years as leader, Julia Gillard said she believed it would be “easier for the next woman, and the woman after that, and the woman after that”. She also said she was surprised by the pundits who have acknowledged that she had been treated differently as a leader, but concluded that it had no bearing on the response of a voting public. Strong Female Lead asks us to consider if this could be true, and quizzes all of us – those within media, parliament and as public citizens, about our responsibility to ensure female leaders are treated with the same respect and fair play as male counterparts. 

The film’s epilogue celebrates the female leaders whose numbers are swelling across the globe. It also features the voices of Australian women who have been appalled by the continuing sexism and misogyny within our parliament, and are screaming for change – very often by quoting Julia Gillard’s now internationally famous phrase: “I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man. Not now. Not ever.” 

This unashamedly feminist work is being created on behalf of all the young women who should be going into politics and demonstrating that gender equity in politics creates better outcomes for everyone. 

You can view the trailer here.

Watch on SBS ON DEMAND.

The panel

Tosca Looby – Writer/Director, Strong Female Lead
Over twenty years working in factual television, Tosca Looby has honed her storytelling skills on diverse and often difficult subjects, creating complicated thesis dependent works on issues including international child abduction, modern parenting and Asian poaching rings.

Her latest series featuring the work of Walkley award-winning journalist Jess Hill, ‘See What You Made Me Do’, has been called “one of the most important documentaries you’ll ever watch”. ‘Strong Female Lead’ is her original idea and passion project.

Janine Hendry – Founder, March4Justice
Janine is an explorer of places, people and ideas.

Most recently Janine founded the Women’s March4Justice. This campaign saw her manage the organisation of over 200 rallies across Australia bringing 110,000 women and their supporters out of their workplaces, their homes, and their schools to protest against gendered violence. Janine achieved this by amassing and managing a team of extraordinary volunteers who pulled off this feat over a period of 12 days. 

Joanna Hayter, AO - Women’s Rights Convener
Joanna Hayter, was made an officer in the Order of Australia in January 2018, for 'Distinguished service to women in the areas of gender equality and individual rights through leadership and policy development roles, and to the promotion of global health, peace and security’.

Her career in international development, peace and security spans four continents and 31 countries. She’s been named one of Australia’s 100 women of influence (2013) and inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll for Women (2016). She was the CEO of International Women’s Development Agency from 2010 - 2017.

Today, Joanna is a local Mornington Peninsula resident and small business manager/founder of 'Garden Tonic' and the Women’s Rights Convener with Macquarie University’s Global Leadership Program.