Kelly O'Dwyer (Higgins, Liberal Party, Minister for Jobs) Share this | Hansard source

I know it is very inconvenient for those opposite to actually have to listen to the measures that we have delivered for Australian women. I really am very happy about this opportunity. We have measures to increase women's workforce participation: over $54.8 million over four years to reinstate the time use survey, which will actually measure women's economic security—something, by the way, that the Labor Party abolished when they were in government. We are going to recognise women's time, whether it's in the home or in the workforce—something that they abolished when they were in government. We are improving the Workplace Gender Equality Agency systems to make sure that we capture the right equality data, to reduce the cost for business that is reported so that around 70 per cent of workplaces will in fact be reporting their data. We are going to have a reducing barriers to work forum. This particular forum will ensure that we can have an even stronger focus on the gender pay gap, because, like I said, those opposite saw the gender pay gap increase under them to 17.2 per cent, and it has come down under us to 14.5 per cent. We are supporting regional employers through career revive, as I've said. We are providing scholarships to women to help them to be able to advance their careers and give them better earning potential. And I am happy to go on. (Time expired)

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