Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Cost-of-living relief for all Australians is the core focus of the government's budget. Labor's tax cuts, the centrepiece of the budget, start in just six days time, which means that more Australians will get to keep more of what they earn. The Albanese Labor government has delivered tax cuts for all Australians, not just some. Better still, 90 per cent of women will be better off under Labor's plan. Can the minister elaborate on how Labor's tax cuts will support women with the cost of living?

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

I thank Senator Green for the question and yes, I can, because those on this side of the chamber know how important it is to drive women's economic independence and improve women's economic security. That is why, when the tax cuts come in, in just days, there will be not only a tax cut for every taxpayer but a bigger tax cut for 95 per cent of women compared with the tax cuts that were previously designed. So, there will be more tax cuts going to more women.

I note that the former Prime Minister said, when asked about the original stage 3 tax cuts, 'You don't fill out pink forms or blue forms for your tax return.' But, again, on this side of the chamber we know that how much you earn, how the tax system interacts with that and therefore how tax cuts are designed does matter to women; it matters enormously to women. So, 90 per cent of women who pay tax will be better off. That's 5.8 million Australian women. On average, women taxpayers will receive a tax cut of $1,650, which is about $700 more than they were going to receive under the former government's tax plan. Childcare workers, disability carers, aged-care workers, nurses and teachers are amongst those occupations that will benefit the most. These are the occupations, of course, as we know, that have high levels of women workers. In those occupations, the workforces are around 80 per cent women on average—vital industries that contribute to our economy, our community and our quality of life. That's why, when we designed these tax cuts, women were not an afterthought. They were absolutely front of mind. Women work hard across our economy, and we want to ensure that they keep more of their hard-earned money. From 1 July, they will.

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

Senator Green, first supplementary?

Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We know that the recent budget was focused on the cost of living and the government is doing everything it can to provide relief for Australian households while putting downward pressure on inflation. Labor's tax cuts are the centrepiece of this effort, but can the minister outline how other measures in the May budget address the cost of living and benefit women?

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

Thank you, Senator Green. I can. As well as the tax cuts, on 1 July, we will see two extra weeks of the government funded PPL scheme, the Paid Parental Leave scheme, taking the PPL entitlement to 22 weeks. There will be $300 off every household's energy bill, a freezing of the cost of PBS medicines and, of course, a pay rise for 2.6 million workers who are working on the award wage.

From 1 July this budget also delivers over $1 billion for women's safety, bringing investments in women's safety to over $3.4 billion. We've also provided funding to pay superannuation on PPL, $1.9 billion to lift rent assistance, over $3 billion to reduce student debt and fix indexation of HELP loans, and important investments in women's health. Importantly, we don't see any of these investments as welfare policy. I know those over there, Senator Hume, identified that the budget was welfare policy. It's not. These are important investments in women's economic independence. (Time expired)

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

Senator Green, second supplementary?

Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

After a decade of women being left behind by the former coalition government, it's clear that the Albanese Labor government has put women back at the centre of government decision-making. How does representation of women in the government influence policymaking, and why is it so important?

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

I can hear those over there groaning as we talk about important investments in women; important investments in women's safety; tax cuts; over $3.4 billion for women's safety; expanding PPL and paying super on it; cheaper child care; lifting rent assistance; expanding parenting payment single and ditching ParentsNext; workplace relations reform; Medicare reform; and pay increases for the lowest paid and aged-care workers. Over 50 per cent of this government are women, but 100 per cent of this government are committed to working for women. Those opposite haven't advanced any ideas that would support women in Australia, because they are still having a fight with themselves about whether advancing women's rights or equality for women in their own ranks is the right thing to do.