Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In less than a week, it will be 1 July—a big day for all Australian women, particularly those who are working. That's because, on this side of the House, the Labor government has restored fairness to our tax system by ensuring that all workers will get a tax cut, including all 6.5 million women who are paying taxes. They will receive a tax cut. In fact, 90 per cent of these women will receive a bigger tax cut than those opposite promised. Under their plan, some women would not have gotten a tax cut at all. That is because, on this side of the House, we are committed to making sure that Australian women will earn more and keep more of what they earn.

Something else that will happen on 1 July is that the minimum wage will increase by 3.75 per cent. Of Australian workers who rely upon the minimum wage, 56.7 per cent are women. They are our cleaners, our retail workers, our ECEC educators, our dental nurses and our pharmacy assistants, just to name a few. They are going to get not only a tax cut that those opposite would have denied them but also a pay increase. That is because this government is committed to making sure that Australian women will earn more and keep more of what they earn.