Yvette D'Ath (Petrie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Community Services, Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development and Minister for the Status of Women. What is the government doing to support and strengthen the economic contribution of women in the workplace?

Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Community Services ) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Petrie for her question. The greatest security all Australians can have is to be able to work in a strong economy. The Gillard government will continue the economic policies that have made our economy the envy of the world. The Gillard government are taking a determined and strategic approach to improve women's economic security over the course of their lives. We want to create the flexibility for more women to join the workforce and to work as long as they want. That is why we have introduced the first paid parental leave scheme in the history of this country. More than 130,000 Australian families have claimed paid parental leave since it was first started. That is why we have also increased the childcare rebate for out-of-pocket expenses from 30 to 50 per cent. That is why we are also committed to reforming the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act, and the agency, and improving women's participation on government boards.

Of course, there is no greater boost to working women's economic security than our removal of the coalition's Work Choices. We want to help women make the most of their working lives, and we are also making significant reforms to superannuation to help achieve that goal. It is of great concern to this government that, while women live longer than men, their superannuation balances are on average 40 per cent lower. We will increase the superannuation guarantee from nine to 12 per cent. A 30-year-old woman earning around $70,000 will have an extra $108,000 in retirement savings thanks to this increase in superannuation. We will also deliver $830 million in tax concessions to low-income workers with salaries of up to $37,000. There are 3.6 million Australians on low incomes, and 2.1 million of them are working women, who will receive these tax concessions.

The Gillard government is delivering fairness for all Australians, including women, by returning the budget to surplus next financial year. But we know that the coalition are willing to sacrifice Australian families, women and some of the most vulnerable in our community to fund their $70 billion black hole. We know they want to cut back pensions, and 70 per cent of single age-pensioners are women. They want to cut child care—'the dead hand of government', the member for Mayo called it. They want higher taxes on superannuation for low-income working Australians, and 60 per cent of them are women. For them, a fairer Australia is not a priority but just another of their 'maybes', perhaps an aspiration. It is only Labor that will deliver improved economic security for women in the workplace.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Clapping is disorderly.