Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is again to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. I refer to the minister’s last answer, and I refer again to the ABS data which prove women on AWAs earn less per hour than women on collective agreements. Minister, given these statistics and given the minister’s refusal to direct the Office of the Employment Advocate to release AWA statistics, on what factual basis is it possible for the minister to claim AWAs are good for women? It is just empty rhetoric, isn’t it?

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When it comes to women re-entering the workforce, the government has a very proud history. Real wages have increased for women by 22.6 per cent under the coalition, compared with 8.8 per cent under the Labor Party.

Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Vamvakinou interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Calwell!

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Since March 1996, more than one million women have joined the workforce and the female participation rate has increased from 53.7 per cent to 57.5 per cent. As we are talking about statistics, the ABS released data showing wages growth of over four per cent over the year to the December quarter 2006. That is with inflation at around 3.3 per cent. Women coming back into the workforce in particular are looking for flexibility—the sort of flexibility that the Labor Party and their union bosses could never give them through the awards system and the sort of flexibility that they never got under the Labor Party’s centralised wage-fixing system.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The level of interjections is far too high.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And the World Economic Forum’s assessment, where they assess the wages gap has narrowed, is proof that under the coalition women have a fairer go in the workplace.

Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms Vamvakinou interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Calwell is warned!

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Women have better wages and they have better opportunities than certainly anything under the Labor Party.

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.