Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Senator Cash. I refer to Liberal MP Teresa Gambaro's comments today, 'The situation we have now with there being only one woman in cabinet is one that cannot be allowed to continue.' Does the minister agree with Ms Gambaro?

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

As the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, I believe that a government's commitment to women is reflected in the policies and the benefits that a government delivers. Look at those on the other side: when they had a female Prime Minister, she of course was knifed by none other than the now Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Senator Wong. So much for standing up for the sisterhood, Senator Wong.

We have a former government that introduced a paid parental leave scheme. But what did they fail to do? They failed to include superannuation in their paid parental leave scheme. That clearly shows that it was not a government that is dinkum when it comes to delivering policies for women.

On top of that, let us look at the level of debt that the former failed finance minister—again, Senator Wong—delivered to the women of Australia. In 2007, when the former government came to office, there was zero debt. What did this government deliver by way of a policy that did not have a benefit—

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order on direct relevance. The minister was asked specifically whether she agreed with comments by Ms Gambaro about the number of women in the cabinet. That is the question. I would like you to draw her attention to the question.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has 44 seconds left to answer and I draw her attention to the question.

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

I was getting to the Prime Minister, when he was the Leader of the Opposition, telling the Australian people about the shadow cabinet that we would be taking to the election and the fact that at that time it included two women. He said, 'Because of the level of debt that we are going to inherit from the other side, we believe that we require experience.' Our now cabinet has 15 ministers who were in the former Howard government ministry. What do all those ministers have in common? They paid off the former Labor government's debt from 1996 to 2007. At the end of the day— (Time expired)

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. We still do not know whether the minister agrees with Ms Gambaro. Can the minister confirm that, despite being the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, the Prime Minister's office did not invite her to the launch of the widely publicised coalition female staffer network last night? Can she further inform our Senate whether the only woman in cabinet, the foreign minister, was also not on that invitation list?

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

When the shadow minister for women in this country, who tells the Australian people that she wants to be on this side of the chamber and delivering policies that benefit women in this country, comes up with a question of that nature, I can only say, 'God help all women in this country if you make it to this side of the chamber.' Peta Credlin and the Prime Minister launched the Coalition Women's Staff Network. That is an outstanding initiative. I commend the Prime Minister on this initiative.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. No invitation then, Minister? I refer to the foreign minister, who said:

Should there be any vacancies, I will certainly be pushing for greater female representation in cabinet.

Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. Throughout question time, the Labor Party have got up and raised a number of questions in which they have purported to have quoted individuals. I think it is incumbent upon them to determine where the quotes have been drawn from, because we cannot take at face value what they tell us.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My direct quote in my further supplementary question was from the foreign minister. She said as recently as yesterday:

Should there be any vacancies, I will certainly be pushing for greater female representation in the cabinet.

Will the minister be joining the foreign minister in this important push?

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

I delight in being the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women. Those on the other side of the chamber are all talk and absolutely no action when it comes to delivering for women, unless it is putting up a female Prime Minister and then knifing her and taking her out, unless it is putting in place a PPL scheme that does not include superannuation, unless it is leaving every woman and child in this country—

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. Again, my question referred to the stated comments about the need for more women in the cabinet. I am seeking a response from the minister as to whether she agrees with this policy position as stated by the foreign minister.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, you have 30 seconds remaining to answer the question.

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

As I was saying, I delight in being the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women because it means that I can work with each and every one of those on this side of the chamber to ensure that we know what the women and girls in this country need. In relation to the foreign minister, she has done more on raising the issue of gender equality—

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order, again, on direct relevance. You did draw the attention of the minister to my question. It was about a policy position on having more women in cabinet. You did draw the minister's attention to the question. We now have eight seconds left and I would like to hear an answer.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Moore. As you rose to your feet, I did hear the minister saying, 'In relation to the foreign minister,' and then she was interrupted. Minister, you have eight seconds.

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

In relation to the foreign minister, I think she is now recognised internationally as being one of the best foreign ministers this country has ever seen when it comes to raising gender equality on an international scale. (Time expired)

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.