Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you to Senator Smith. And Senator Smith is right: we do know that so many of the workers in lower-paid industries—teachers, care workers, workers in the aged-care sector and nursing—are women, and we know the extent to which that drives the gender pay gap. And we know why it's so important for women, for families and for all of us—for our economies—that that be remedied. Women make up 80 per cent of our primary school teachers, nurses and care workers. These are workers who deliver for our kids, for those who are sick, for those who are vulnerable. They are making invaluable contributions but, unfortunately, we know they are likely to be in low- and middle-income jobs.

Well, Labor's tax cuts deliver for these women: 96 per cent of receptionists will be better off, as well as 97 per cent of registered nurses, 97 per cent of aged- and disability-care workers and 98 per cent of primary school teachers. This is Labor delivering for working women in this country.