Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Waters is correct. The data does show that women's representation is significantly lower at management levels and that this should be an area of continued focus in organisations. This government has always said that. The government has never shied away from the fact that there is a gender pay gap. What we have said is: it has been steadily rising now for a number of years. In fact, it was at its lowest under the former Howard government. Under the Rudd government, the Gillard government and the Rudd government, it continued to rise. Today—you are right—it is not at a level where we want to see it. But it is more than just standing in this chamber and complaining. It is saying to the Australian people: what policies can the government put forward?

Senator Waters, you have the power, in your capacity as the Greens spokesperson, to say to your senators: 'You should support'—if you are dinkum about actually making a change in relation to gender participation and the gender wage gap. I put to you, Senator Waters, that one of the changes we want to make to make to paid parental leave is to include superannuation. Women currently retire with 40 per cent less superannuation than men. Thirty per cent of women in Australia have no retirement income. A PPL scheme that does not include superannuation is a failed scheme. (Time expired)