Giz Watson BSc MLC

Profile

Giz Watson was elected to the Legislative Council for the North Metropolitan Region in 1997 and re-elected in 2001 and 2005. Giz currently serves on two Standing Committees:

• Estimates and Financial Operations Committee - Chair
• Legislation Committee - Deputy Chair

Other committees Giz has served on are:

• Select Committee into the Department of Education and Training – Chair , 15.11.06 – 7.12.06
• Select Committee on Adequacy of Foster Care Assessment Procedures by the Department of Community Development – Member, 21.9.05 – 24.8.06
• Select Committee on Advocacy for Children – Member, 26.6.03 – 2.7.04
• Parliamentary Services Committee – Member, 11.8.99 – 21.5.01. Reappointed 28.6.01 – 11.4.02
• Select Committee on Native Title Rights in Western Australia – Member, 17.9.97 – 10.11.98

Education

Giz was educated in England and Australia. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Murdoch University in 1981. In 1984 she successfully completed a Trade Certificate in carpentry and joinery at the City & Guilds of London. In 1992 she became one of only three women registered builders in Western Australia. Giz ran her own building business for 12 years. Prior to being elected to the State Parliament, she was employed as the WA coordinator of the Marine & Coastal Community Network.

Background

Giz’s interest in ecology, peace and social justice led to her involvement in numerous community groups working on coastal and marine issues, urban bushland, community housing and opposition to the arms trade. She is renowned as an energetic and passionate activist. In the UK, Giz trained nonviolent direct action groups for peace camps. These peace camps were instrumental in the removal of US nuclear missiles from the UK.

Electorate

The North Metropolitan Region is an area that encompasses 14 lower house electorates and approximately 350,000 electors.

Celebration

Giz Watson MLC celebrated 10 years in Parliament with her current and former staff at Parliament House on 22 May 2007.  Elected as Member for the North Metropolitan, Giz entered the Legislative Council on 22 May 1997. Giz has been working with a team of 10 staff over the past 10 years, two of whom became members of Parliament themselves.

Parliamentary outcomes

Giz has achieved many results since being elected to Parliament:

Lesbian and Gay issues

Lesbian and gay equality - Giz was central to the campaign for equality. She was a member of the Ministerial Taskforce on Lesbian and Gay Law Reform. She led the debate for the Greens in the Parliament and played a very public role in the campaign. WA now has the best laws enshrining the rights of lesbians and gays in Australia.

Lesbian and gay community services - Giz secured funding for the Gay and Lesbian Community Services. GLCS was facing closure due to financial difficulties, Giz gained a commitment for funds from the Department of Health that ensured, for the first time, that GLCS would receive Government funding.

Health

Nurses – Giz has consistently supported WA’s nurses’ claims for improved pay and conditions, attending rallies. She also strongly supported the establishment of the new position of nurse practitioners.

Mental health - Giz has been a vocal advocate for people affected my mental illness speaking at public rallies and supporting community service groups who lost funds in recent Government funding cuts. She successfully argued for the reinstatement of funding to some bodies.

Midwives – Giz has lobbied both major political parties to support Community-based midwifery and in particular the National Maternity Action Plan. She has spoken at public rallies in support of women’s right to the choice of a childbirth and hosting functions at Parliament in support of the Community Midwifery Programme.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) – following meetings with women’s groups Giz successfully lobbied the Attorney General to make FGM a specific crime, with significant penalties. WA was the last State to pass such provisions in 2004.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) – Giz established a Community Taskforce on Multiple Chemical Sensitivities to advocate for better health outcomes for people suffering from MCS, safer use of chemicals by local councils and the establishment of an effective, community based Environmental Health Foundation.

Smoking – Giz successfully negotiated a deadline for the end of smoking in enclosed public places in order to protect the health of the non-smoking public and workers in the hospitality industry.

Laser pointers – Giz initiated a State-wide ban on powerful laser pointer after taking up the case of a school child who sustained eye damage from a laser pointer.

Family and Domestic Violence

Giz has worked with community and NGOs to reduce family and domestic violence. She was a member of a Ministerial committee advising on use of restraining orders. She hosted a roundtable at Parliament House for key stakeholders following a spate of domestic homicides. She successfully negotiated a strengthening of the new laws on family and domestic violence.

Marine and coastal issues

Ningaloo Reef – Giz was part of the strong Green Parliamentary team that campaigned tirelessly for the protection of Ningaloo Reef, complimenting the enormous public campaign that eventually saw the rejection of the Maud’s Landing marina proposal.

Ports Bill – Giz successfully amended the Ports Authority Bill to require all public Port Authorities in WA to produce Environmental Management Plans.

Fisheries – Giz has consistently pursued environmentally sustainable fishing, lobbying for adequate ‘no-take’ areas in Marine Parks, pushing for a reduction in fishing of endangered shark species and a reduction in by-catch from trawling.

Urban bushland

Kings Park and Bold Park – Giz successfully amended new legislation for the management of Kings Park and Bold Park to include (for the first time in WA legislation) a requirement to specifically protect the native biodiversity.

Burns Beach bushland and Moore River – Giz has pushed consistently for the protection of these areas of native bush and the establishment of a regional park south of Moore River

Seniors

Residential care – Giz pushed for inquiry into nursing homes standards for elderly residents

Women

Reproductive rights – Giz was central to the passing of legislation that legalises abortion in WA.

Housing

Giz has written submissions to the Homelessness Taskforce Inquiry and to the review of the Residential Tenancies Act. She has spoken out on the lack of adequate housing, the unacceptable waiting list for public housing and the rights of tenants. She has supported and assisted Park Home Owners in their bid for legislation to protect their interests. She has advocated for the community-housing sector. She has asked questions in Parliament on behalf of housing advocacy groups.

Disabilities

Giz has participated in the Adopt-a-politician programme. She has advocated for and assisted families in their interaction with government departments including Centrelink.

Nuclear

Anti-nuke legislation – Giz introduced legislation to ban uranium mining and nuclear waste dumping. While this legislation was defeated, it has pressured the government into introducing similar legislation to prevent WA from accepting a national dump for nuclear waste and publicly stating they will not allow any new uranium mines.

Giz’s questions in Parliament were successful in ensuring that the issue of radioactive waste on oil rigs was publicised and that proper disposal was carried out.

Social Justice

Giz secured State Government funding for Community Law Centres in WA.

She was central to the opposition to private prisons in WA and the privatisation of custodial services.

Giz has advocated for a West Australian Bill of Rights.