Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Menopause and perimenopause are not publicly spoken about much, but more needs to be done to understand their health and economic impacts on women and people who menstruate and the impacts on our economy. Menopause happens typically between the ages of 45 and 60, and perimenopause, which precedes it, can last for up to 10 years and begin as early as your 30s. Both can be mentally and physically debilitating. Eighty per cent of Australian women experience menopausal and perimenopausal symptoms that can range from mild to extremely severe. The financial impact can be profound for women as well as for their employers and the economy, as many women at the peak of their careers are leaving the workforce. Being forced to retire early exacerbates both the gender pay gap and the gender superannuation gap. The gendered cost of treatment is yet another financial burden that only women face, on top of the costs of a lifetime of menstruation and most likely being a primary caregiver to children and ageing parents. It's no wonder that women are retiring with significantly less than their male counterparts.

The Senate inquiry that I initiated into reproductive health care recommended research into the impact of reproductive health on women's participation in the workforce and the adequacy of existing leave entitlements. We eagerly await the government's response to that recommendation. Nationally, we also need more awareness, both by GPs and by patients, of the symptoms of both perimenopause and menopause, as well as awareness of the various treatments available to women experiencing them and whether those treatments are affordable. At the moment, Flinders University is running a survey led by Professor Erin Morton for people to share their menopause and perimenopause experiences to help build the evidence base. Please share your experiences on what's called the VITAL peri-/menopause registry. I will raise this issue in the Senate again.