Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Housing) Share this | Hansard source

I know. It is shocking, isn’t it, that 95 businesses around Australia would provide family friendly conditions for their employees! I can understand why that would have that sort of reaction from those opposite. We are committed to improving women’s voices in public life and today I have announced the establishment of six new alliances that will contribute to that work.

Finally, I want to say that all members of the House, and I am sure of the other place as well, and all members of the Australian community, understand that rates of violence against women in this country remain unacceptably high. Just, for example, in the last week the government has expanded programs run by the NRL and the AFL to work with players to encourage them to develop respectful relationships with women. This sort of work on the ground will complement the release later this year of our national plan to reduce violence against women and children. It is work that we can all be proud of.

Of course we have a lot to be proud of in our record. We still have a long way to go. As Anne Manne said at The Sydney Institute:

We will truly have equality when women no longer have to make impossible choices. When they are everywhere in public life and when both men and women are respected for their contribution to love’s never-ending labour.

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