Jodie Belyea (Dunkley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This week marks 30 years since the ALP adopted affirmative action to ensure our caucus has equal representation in government. As a result, Australia now has the first ever female-majority government, delivering result after result for women, including cutting the gender pay gap to a record low of 11.5 per cent; expanding paid parental leave—and we'll soon be adding super to it—and establishing paid family and domestic violence leave, because no woman should ever have to choose between her financial security and her physical and mental safety. Labor is delivering for women.

On Tuesday this week I was pleased to meet with community and disability sector workers, supported by the mighty Australian Services Union. We talked about the need to fix the SCHADS award to ensure workers' pay reflects their roles, skills and expertise. Community and disability workers are the backbone of our community sector workforce. They have historically been feminised industries and for too long have been undervalued in their remuneration. I support the ASU's push to change the SCHADS award, to fix the classification structure and close the loopholes, ensuring community, housing and disability workers get what they deserve for the incredible work they do in our communities.