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

[by video link] Today I'd like to pay tribute to Roselynne Anderson, long-term chair of the national women's alliance economic Security4Women, who, sadly, passed away suddenly on 15 August 2021. I had the pleasure and honour of working with Roselynne for many years, in my role as co-convener of the Parliamentary Friends of Women and Work group.

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

[by video link] That's quite a change for—

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

Oh! Senator Abetz keeps interjecting on my two minutes.

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

[by video link] So let them know that I—

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

Find the mute button or have the clock stopped, please.

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Waters! Senator Abetz, you may not be on mute. Senator Waters, please continue.

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

Thank you. Impeccable timing!

For two decades, Roselynne championed women's economic security and leadership through collaborations with frontline staff, researchers and key decision-makers. As an educator, Roselynne was a passionate advocate for education as a key factor in girls achieving long-term financial confidence. She appeared before countless Senate inquiries, contributed to papers and mentored many young women. Throughout it all, Roselynne remained kind, enthusiastic and encouraging, a truly buoyant force for change. She lifted and supported others, she listened eagerly to new ideas and she never backed away from a challenge. Roselynne's work helped to highlight the systems and [inaudible] driving the gender pay gap, huge superannuation shortfalls, the workforce participation impacts of unaffordable childcare and inflexible working hours, low wages in female dominated industries, the lack of women in leadership roles and society's failure to properly value unpaid care work. A rigorous analysis done by eS4W has put those issues on the agenda. Last week the Workplace Gender Equality Agency confirmed that the gender pay gap in Australia has gone backwards over the past six months. Closing that gap is unfinished business, and, as Roselynne would, I will keep working until we get it done. My condolences go out to Roselynne's husband, Trevor; her daughter, Nikki; and all her colleagues at economic Security4Women. Roselynne will be greatly missed but never forgotten.