Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Gallagher. On International Women's Day we look at how far we've come and where we're heading. Can the minister outline what's next on the Albanese government's agenda for women?

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

I thank Senator Walsh for the question and for her longstanding work in supporting women, particularly those on low incomes, in this country over many years. On International Women's Day, I would also like to associate myself with the comments and remarks made about Marie Coleman, who I acknowledge in the chamber today. Marie seems to have been a mentor and someone many of us have looked up to in this place, and it's a real privilege for me to be here as Minister for Women in a government that's pursuing many of the issues that Marie and her colleagues have campaigned for for many years. This is a government that puts women at the centre. I acknowledge all my women colleagues in this place and all the women parliamentarians who have come before us.

Over the years, Australia has made great progress advancing the status of women, but in a number of areas progress is slowing or has stalled. This government is working hard to put us on the path to achieving a better future for women in Australia. We're developing a National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality, to help make Australia one of the best countries in the world for equality between men and women. This government is listening to women. We don't want to guess what life is like for women of all backgrounds; we want to listen to and hear from them. Today we launch public consultation on the strategy, including a survey and other materials to support individuals, communities and organisations to contribute to that strategy. We want to hear from Australians from all walks of life, especially women and girls, about what it's like in the areas of care, work, economic security, safety, health and beyond. We want this to be a national and respectful conversation. Today I've written to all my colleagues in this place to invite them to be part of this important national discussion in their electorates and in their communities.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Walsh, first supplementary?

Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister outline what the government has already achieved for women since being elected last May?

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

I thank Senator Walsh for the question. We've been delivering on the commitments we took to the last election since coming to government in May 2022, through policies like investments in cheaper child care; 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave; boosting and expanding paid parental leave; gender-responsive budgeting, in the first budget in nearly a decade that cast a gendered lens over the budget; signing off, with states and territories, the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children, with a record $1.7 billion to implement the plan; and supporting a wage increase for aged-care workers, of whom over 90 per cent are women. My colleague in the other place has established the National Women's Health Advisory Council to improve our health system and how it responds to women and girls. We've got funding and legislation to implement all 55 recommendations of the Respect@Work report, and we've introduced a bill to close the gender pay gap.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Walsh, second supplementary?

Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We know that some women experience greater inequality. Can the minister update us on how the government is ensuring no women are left behind?

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

I thank Senator Walsh for the supplementary question. We know that some women face additional barriers that intersect with and compound their experience of gender inequality. The consultation launched today seeks feedback from all women. We're committed to shining a light on where we need to improve and where we need better data, and the report card, which has also been released today, is a step forward in that. We will be doing that every year, and we will be held to account and measuring our progress through that.

We're working in partnership with First Nations communities to develop an action plan as well as a standalone First Nations plan on family violence. This will build on the $424 million in additional funding for the Closing the Gap Implementation Plan, which was committed last month, and there were also additional investments in the October budget going directly to supporting First Nations people and First Nations women. Enshrining a voice to parliament will help ensure that First Nations women's voices are raised and heard on the policies that affect them and their communities.