Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I can say that we are committed as parties to see more women in parliament and more women in the executive, and that is something that we will always work towards. Do you know that last year 60,000 more women joined the workforce than men? In the December quarter the highest level of female participation in full-time work was recorded in our history. That is a very good thing.

I have to remind honourable members opposite that they are presently standing in the way of the government's very significant reforms on child care, which, if enacted, will have the effect of enabling more women, particularly those on lower incomes, to join the workforce and have access to the continuity of the workforce that is so important for every aspect of their lives—economic, social and right across the board. So we have targeted the highest rates of subsidies to those on the lowest incomes and more hours of subsidised care for the families who work the most hours. It is a very good reform. I am not sure where the honourable member for Fairfax stands on it but, if he can use his influence with the opposition to supported, that would be a very useful piece of work for him to undertake.

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