BEING informed and getting involved in politics was the main message from Parliamentary Speaker Fiona Simpson when she addressed more than 100 members of Cleveland's University of the Third Age recently.
Ms Simpson, who became Queensland's first female Parliamentary Speaker in May last year, was invited to address the meeting about women in politics after she wrote an article on the subject this year.
The audience listened as she spoke about her role lobbying for changes to Queensland's Criminal Code after an eight-months pregnant woman lost her unborn child when she was kicked in the stomach by her partner.
Ms Simpson, who is helped in the role by Cleveland MP Mark Robinson, also spoke about recognition of indigenous voters in the Constitution and said they would be mentioned in the preamble, not the body of the document.
She explained her role as Speaker and the Constitution.
The crowd erupted in laughter when The Speaker was asked if she ever "felt like bumping some heads together".
"I have an off button when I am in the chair and there is a panel that has a kill button which does take the sound down so it is very handy," she joked.
Ms Simpson also said she loved getting back to her electorate after a hard day in the intense role as Speaker and said she also took seriously her role as a mentor for women in the parliament.
When asked what reforms she would make to democracy, Ms Simpson said she would improve informed citizenship.
"The best democracy is where people are informed and are involved because you can make a difference when you are involved," she said.
Ms Simpson also agreed with a comment that youth today are not as interested in politics as 50 years ago.
After the meeting, Ms Simpson said she believed Parliamentary Clerk Neil Laurie would be ready to release findings from a report into the parliamentary expenses of Redlands MP Peter Dowling.
"My role was to check who was the appropriate authority to adjudicate and determine the issue," Ms Simpson said.
