Nicolle Flint (Boothby, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Women. Will the minister please update the House on how the Morrison government is focused on the needs and priorities of Australian women, particularly their economic security and their personal safety?

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Boothby for her question. She knows that women from all corners of Australia and all walks of life will be listening carefully to the Treasurer tonight to hear about our strengthened and ongoing commitment to women at every stage of their lives. The cabinet women's task force is building on the achievements of this government, and I am reminded that there is always more work to do, such as the support that we will continue to show to our frontline workers. The frontline workers include those that work in Betty's Place in my home town of Albury and women's refuges across the country where I have met them and been impressed by their compassion, their resourcefulness and the spirit they have in confronting really difficult and tragic incidents on a daily basis.

We are committed to women's safety, their economic security, their health and, indeed, their leadership opportunities. We are committed to women at the hardest of times. I recently sat in the Downing Centre Sydney local court with victims and advocates as they went through apprehended domestic violence order hearings. As Women's Safety NSW CEO Hayley Foster told me, universal access to justice and frontline support services and advocacy has never been more vital. Since 2013 we have committed more than $1 billion to women's safety. The current national action plan concludes in June 2022 and we will have an opportunity to really reflect on the progress we've made and the road ahead. Everyone will have their chance to have their say on the development of the next national plan. At the next National Women's Safety Summit, we will continue to examine not only women's safety but also improving health outcomes, economic security, financial independence and leadership opportunities. The national plan is complemented by the 'road map to respect' in response to the Respect@Work report, which outlines the reforms and measures that this government is taking to combat sexual harassment and inequality in the workplace.

Financial independence is critical to safety and security, and we are focused on increasing the record-high workforce participation rates for Australian women. We have already achieved much. We want to continue to narrow the gender pay gap, currently the lowest it has been. Families not only need security in the workplace; they need flexibility and choice, which is why we will be investing an additional $1.7 billion in the annual childcare subsidy cap—to give women choice. To women all over Australia: whether you will be working in our cities or raising and caring for your families, whether you have just started to call Australia home or you have lived a lifetime in regional Australia, we are here, we are listening and we are responding.