Australasia

Negative Representation

• In journalistic media in Australia, men account for 70% of quoted sources and 66% of experts in news stories. In New Zealand a study found that only 17% of sports sources were women. • In advertising, women are still often sexualised and given stereotypical roles whilst men are presented as powerful. Australia does not have a ban on adverts featuring men and women in stereotypical activities. • In film and TV, of the 21 Australian films released in 2014, only 14% were directed by a woman. • Current gender norms and the tendency of mass media to continually measure a woman's worth by her appearance leads to women being socially, politically, and economically limited.

Positive Representation

• In journalistic media, 70% of journalists at BuzzFeed Australia are women. A 2019 study found that 59% of science based news was reported by women. At Aotearoa New Zealand, 68% of reporters are women and 33% of sources were from women. • In film and TV, the Australian Gender Matters Initiative gave $3.7 million to the funding of 45 female driven stories and 13 female driven businesses. An increasing number of female-directed and female-led films have been successful commercially and at festivals, such as The Piano and Black Widow, both of which were directed by Australasian women. • The MeToo and Feminist Movements and the rise of social media have been influential on the rise of positive representation in the media.

Recent Positive Changes

• Australia has hit its target for the Gender Matters key performance indicator with 56% of funded projects having at least half of the key creative roles occupied by women. A new target has been set for all projects that receive funding to have 50% of key creatives be women. • New Zealand's 2020 journalistic results have seen an improvement from 2010 and 2015, with women making up half of the academic experts used in 2020. • In Australia, the proportion of women in the film industry has increased from 28% to 44% in the last 40 years.

Barriers To Change

• Men often hold key decision-making roles leading to a masculine work environment that isn't supportive of women. There is also less of a likelihood that male decision makers will back projects with female key creatives. • Women are more likely than men to underestimate and undersell their skills. • Pregnancy and childcare can be difficult for women as access to maternity leave is often not an option and freelance employers are not obligated to offer a formal return to work.

What More Needs To Be Done?

• Media companies need to employ more women on the board of directors so that female creatives can be more involved in key decisions. • Influential men need to provide stronger encouragement and support of female creatives to help get their work picked up, further their career progression, and contribute to the development of female-centred storytelling on TV.

TV & Film Recommendations

• The Piano - written and directed by Jane Campion, produced by Jan Chapman. The film follows a pianist and her mute daughter who experience life-altering events when stranded on a New Zealand beach. • Dance Academy - written and created by Samantha Strauss and Joanna Werner. The TV show follows a young ballet dancer and her friends, and the distances they'll go to to make it as a professional. • Ride Like A Girl - directed and produced by Rachel Griffiths. The film follows the story of Michelle Payne, the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup despite odds of 100 to 1. • An Angel At My Table – directed by Jane Campion and written by Laura Jones. This biographical film retells the dramatic childhood and early adulthood of New Zealand writer Janet Frame.

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