Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Higgins for her question and her outstanding leadership in so many women's groups, causes and initiatives, not just in Melbourne but across the nation and the world. I was talking to the member for Higgins this morning about her involvement with Global Sisters and with Tradeswomen Australia, and about how she reaches out to working women in her electorate and asks them what they would like to see, and responds. She is so connected. Indeed, every woman member on the government side is absolutely across the need, coming out of COVID, for a plan out of the budget that provides jobs for women. Our plan for jobs in yesterday's budget is, indeed, a plan for women—for their participation in the workforce, for their ongoing opportunity and for their financial security. Women's success is intrinsic to our economic success and the success of the nation, and we completely understand that.

As the Prime Minister has said, central to all of the measures that we're undertaking to support women and their families and their communities and whatever stage of life they are at is the Women's Economic Security Statement, first introduced by the member for Higgins's predecessor, Kelly O'Dwyer, in 2018 and updated by Minister Payne, senator in the other place—and a huge recognition for her contribution. The updated statement and its associated measures build on what we've already done. Priority areas include repairing and rebuilding women's workforce participation, greater choice and flexibility for families to manage work and care, supporting women as leaders and positive role models, and supporting women to be safe at home. That's the Women's Economic Security Statement. There's $50 million over four years through Women@Work, expanding our leadership and development program. We can continue to partner with industry, such as Master Builders and their Women Building Australia program—that's going to be so important—that recruits, retains and supports women entering the construction industry, which is so important right now. It supports women like Melanie and Emma Fasham in Victoria, sisters who run their family construction budget.

The member for Higgins mentioned an extraordinary young woman called Grace Halifax, who she helped on a Zoom call to teach her fellow students Zoom. Grace is eight years old. She'll be an ideal candidate for our Boosting Female Founders Initiative, which will support up to 4,300 women entrepreneurs, and $24 million to support women in study and to complete STEM qualifications.

There is record spending in this budget on health, on NDIS, on aged care, on listing new drugs for ovarian cancer and of course on our continuation of JobKeeper, which helps so many women in small business, whether they're employees or employers. JobKeeper will help us tackle the tough times ahead. As we come out of COVID, we're helping grow small business. We're helping women gain better jobs. We're helping women stay— (Time expired)

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