Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator O'Neill for her question. And she's right: for too long, women's policy was in the wilderness under the previous government. It's front and centre under this government. That's the big change. For everything we discuss, every policy developed and every consideration, we will have an analysis of what it means for women: how does it impact women? Is it good? Is it bad? How do we change it to make sure it deals with some of the issues that come out of that research?

I would note that it's no surprise that Mr Morrison didn't take on the Minister for Women portfolio when he was taking Senator Birmingham's portfolio! Poor old Senator Birmingham: he shared his finance ministry with the Prime Minister for the entire time he was finance minister—unlike Tony Abbott, who did take the women's ministry. But we are putting women's policy front and centre, and I look forward to working with all interested senators on doing just that.