Quotas are not un-meritocratic – Dalli

In an interview with sister newspaper Illum to be published tomorrow, Labour MP and spokesperson for Women's Rights, Domestic Violence, and the Public Sector Helen Dalli insists that the introduction of minimum female representation quotas will not mean that competence or merit are sidelined.

She insists that the introduction of quotas would not mean that there would be a situation where women are appointed to positions which they would not otherwise qualify for, simply on the strength of their gender.

"Nobody is going to run out onto the street and hire the first woman they see," she tells Illum.

Dalli also slams Josie Muscat's recent domestic violence "provocation" statements, describing these as counterproductive, and insists that "violence is never justifiable."

Dalli also discusses Labour's proposals for domestic violence, female representation in the workplace, and the public sector.

She also insists that while the recent labour congress showed the party's "open-mindedness", the PN's Independence festivities highlighted its "closed-mindedness" starkly.