Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'll get straight to the facts. Under Labor, the gender pay gap has narrowed. Under Labor, we've seen a $173.80 increase in women's average weekly earnings. Under Labor, we've funded a 15 per cent wage increase for early childhood educators and aged-care workers, an industry dominated by women. Under Labor, women's workforce participation has reached a record high of 63.2 per cent. Under Labor, every female taxpayer got a tax cut and 90 per cent of women got a better tax cut than under the Liberals. Under Labor, we've committed $1.1 billion over four years to pay superannuation on government funded paid parental leave and reformed paid parental leave for the first time since its inception to get it to 26 weeks. Under Labor, we will provide $427.4 million over four years to support students in mandatory nursing, social work and teaching placements—industries also traditionally dominated by women. Under Labor, we are investing $38.2 million over eight years to support a thriving, skilled and diverse STEM workforce, one that simply must attract more women.

Political parties are not the same. All this happened under Labor, and all in our first term of government. We are committed to developing policies and investing in programs that will improve women's economic empowerment because we recognise the connection between the safety of women and their financial autonomy and wellbeing. The connection between economic security and safety for women cannot be overstated. Financial autonomy is critical to ensuring that women can live their lives free from violence and abuse. When women earn less than men, when their work is undervalued, they are more vulnerable to financial dependence and exploitation. By closing the gender pay gap, we're not only promoting economic justice but fostering a society where women can live with dignity, free from fear.

We know that economic security also relies on addressing the systemic issues that cause and perpetuate the gender pay gap. That's why this government has banned secrecy pay clauses, modernised bargaining systems and introduced transparent gender pay gap reporting. These reforms have got wages moving again, particularly for women. They will ensure that wage disparity cannot be hidden and that employers are held accountable for creating equitable workplaces. When women thrive, Australia thrives. Women's increased earnings and workforce participation contribute to household incomes, reduce poverty rates and stimulate consumer spending. Closing the gender pay gap benefits us all. When we pay women fairly, we set a standard for future generations. We teach our children that equality is not just an ideal but a reality that we are committed to achieving. We show that the work women do—whether in the classroom, in hospitals, in boardrooms or in parliament—is valued and essential.

While today's figures in this motion are worth celebrating, they are by all means not the end of the road. An 11.5 per cent gender pay gap remains an unacceptable inequality. It's still too high. The average woman working full time still earns $231.50 less per week than her male counterpart. That's over $12,000 less per year, an amount that affects her ability to save for retirement, pay off her mortgage or support her family. We cannot be complacent as a government. Our work simply must continue. This government is committed to doing more. We will soon release an employment white paper to further address structural inequalities in the workplace. We are also committed to further reform of the Workplace Gender Equality Act, ensuring that all employers take active steps to close gender pay gaps. This government will not rest until every woman in Australia is paid what she's worth and has the same opportunities to succeed as her male colleagues. We are committed to gender equality and, to have that, we will need to continue to reform. Our government have a commitment to putting women at the centre of our nation's economic plan. We want to make the lives of Australian women safer, fairer and more equal. As we reflect on the progress, we must recognise that progress does not happen by accident. The gender pay gap has fallen to its lowest on record, but we still have much more to do.

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