Mark Furner (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My first question is to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations, Senator Evans. Can the minister advise the Senate what steps the government is taking to ensure fairness for women in the workplace?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Furner for his question and his ongoing interest in these issues. Since Labor came to office in 2007 we have delivered on our promise to create fairness in the workplace while continuing to create large numbers of jobs. We are especially proud that our reforms have delivered greater fairness for the lowest-paid working Australians, many of whom are women. Labor's reforms include abolishing Work Choices and ending AWAs, the Liberal Party's preferred method of regulating—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Evans, resume your seat. Both sides: Senator Evans is entitled to be heard in silence.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government abolished the Liberal's Work Choices. We introduced the Fair Work Act, we delivered Australia's first Paid Parental Leave Scheme, we broadened the definition of pay equity and we restored fairness in unfair dismissal laws for 2.8 million Australians. This is delivering real opportunities and protection for women workers. We have to remember that equal pay has still not been achieved in Australia. Women still earn over 17 per cent less than men. That is clearly unacceptable in the 21st century and that is why Labor is committed to doing something about it. That is why Labor has extended equal remuneration provisions in the Fair Work Act to include the right to equal pay for work of comparative value, with more generous tests than ever before.

We are doing something about it, and it is interesting that the Liberal Party mouth platitudes about support but when it comes to actually supporting real measures, like the application for SACS workers, they go missing. They provide reasons why it should not be done. As I understand it, Joe Hockey—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! You need to refer to people correctly.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Hockey, the Shadow Treasurer, regarded equal pay for SACS workers as reckless. He described moving to assist those workers as reckless. Labor actually believes it is about equality and fairness, and we will continue to pursue such policies. (Time expired)

Mark Furner (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate on the progress of the current social and community services equal pay case?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the Senate would be aware, last week the government, with the applicant unions, filed a joint submission to Fair Work Australia in the current social and community sector equal pay case. The government has argued for rates of pay which fairly and properly value the work of social and community sector workers. We just do not talk about the value of their work; we are dedicated to trying to fix the undervaluation, trying to recognise the contribution they make and trying to provide financial security and fair pay for those workers. That is why we are very keen to build support for that application from state governments, both Labor and Liberal, and we look to the Liberal opposition to join us in arguing that, rather than just providing lip-service in support of these women workers, we actually support the case before Fair Work Australia to make equal pay a reality for some of those undervalued workers who are doing so much to help the vulnerable in our community.

Mark Furner (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Is the minister aware of any risks to achieving fair pay for some of Australia's lowest paid workers?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those who argue for removing the Fair Work Act and returning to the sorts of policies under Work Choices are clearly those who put at risk the reforms that have benefited women workers, and clearly that is still the Liberal Party agenda. As I say, when we sought to improve the pay rates of people who have been underpaid, Mr Hockey described those moves as reckless. We also know that the Liberal opposition have not supported the superannuation reforms which allow for low-paid workers to have their super contributions tax rebated. For those earning under $37,000 a year, two-thirds of whom are women, this is a really important reform. But what did the Liberal Party do? They said, 'We will oppose that measure because we think BHP and Rio Tinto need the support more,' rather than pay the mining tax. In this government, we have given our priority— (Time expired)