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

Thank you, Senator Pratt, for the question and for your longstanding interest in gender equality and achieving gender equality in this country.

The secure job, better pay bill will deliver on the Albanese government's commitment to a fairer workplace relations system, which provides Australians with job security, gender equality and sustainable wage growth. For nearly a decade, wages were kept low as a deliberate design feature of the previous government's management of the economy. The secure jobs, better pay bill will take long overdue steps to promote gender equality, and promote pay and secure work for women.

The bill puts gender equality at the heart of the Fair Work system by making gender equality and job security objects of the Fair Work Act. It will make it easier for working women in undervalued industries to win a pay equity claim, before the commission, by removing the need to find a male comparator and by making clear that sex discrimination is not necessary to establish that work has been undervalued.

The bill will establish a pay equity expert panel, and a care and community sector expert panel, in the Fair Work Commission, supported by $20 million in funding from the October budget. It will provide greater access for bargaining, for lower paid and feminised sectors, through the supported bargaining stream. It will increase pay transparency by prohibiting pay secrecy clauses and strengthen access to flexible working arrangements so families can better share and manage their caring responsibilities. Where the previous government refused to act, this bill will prohibit sexual harassment under the Fair Work Act, a recommendation of the Respect@Work report. Women have waited far too long for this work to be properly valued, to get better access to flexible work and to feel safe and respected at work. They should not have to wait any longer. (Time expired)