Zhi Soon (Banks, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to support the member for Brisbane's motion. The Labor government is absolutely committed to driving economic equality for women. A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of welcoming the Prime Minister and the Minister for Social Services to the suburb of East Hills in my great electorate of Banks, where we announced not only that paid parental leave would be extended to 24 weeks as of 1 July this year but also that, from next year, paid parental leave would be extended further, to 26 weeks, to ensure that Australian families can access a full six months of paid parental leave. Additionally, it was announced that, from 1 July this year, the Albanese government would deliver superannuation on paid parental leave for the very first time, ensuring that working women are not penalised in their retirement savings for having a family. It was a great morning, and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Julia, Stefan and their little boy, Artie, for welcoming the three of us as well as my partner, Bridget, and our little girl, Dorothy, to their home to make this very important announcement.

This government's agenda to deliver for Australian women is substantial, with lifting wages and closing pay gaps at its very core. Women's participation in the workforce has never been higher, and the gender pay gap in Australia has never been smaller, with women earning $217.40 a week more on average than in May 2022, when Labor came into government. Working women are earning more and keeping more of what they earn, with Labor's program of tax cuts for every taxpayer leaving 90 per cent of women taxpayers better off. The Labor government has integrated gender equality into the Fair Work Act, supported the Fair Work Commission's gender based undervaluation review and funded pay increases in industries with female dominated workforces.

The government's agenda is not just about economics; it is about government treating Australian women with respect. It's investing in keeping Australian women safe, with $4 billion to combat gender based violence through prevention initiatives, improving consent education, making justice more accessible for victims-survivors and putting $1 billion towards crisis and transitional accommodation for women and children fleeing domestic violence.

It's about valuing the work women do. This government funded pay increases for sectors that do some of the hardest yet most undervalued work in our economy, including in aged care and early childhood education, to ensure that recognition is not just in its rhetoric but actually in the pay packets of people and women across this country.

It's about taking women's health seriously, with a $792 million package of investments. That includes 22 endometriosis clinics opened, with a further 11 to come, and expanding their scope to provide menopause care; new PBS listings to provide more choice and cheaper medicines; and adjusting the Medicare Benefits Schedule to include extended consultation times and increased rebates for specialist care. That's in addition to the government's record investment in Medicare to restore bulk-billing in our communities and open more urgent care clinics.

And it's about ensuring Australian women are represented in seats across this House and across decision-making tables, with historic representation in this parliament of 49.5 per cent across both houses and a gender-equal cabinet, both driven by many fantastic Labor women.

The government is delivering on its commitment to relieve the cost-of-living pressures and their impact on Australian women. Since 1 July this year, award wages increased by 3.5 per cent, benefitting up to 2.9 million Australians on low wages, including many women and young people, who are more likely to be reliant on such wages. Legislation passed to cut student debt by 20 per cent, benefitting millions of Australians but particularly women, who hold the majority of student loans, and the Commonwealth paid prac payment commenced for students of nursing, midwifery, teaching and social work. This continues the long tradition of Labor delivering for women's economic equality, and I look forward to spending my time in this great House working with fantastic Labor women of the federal caucus to continue to deliver on economic reforms and demonstrate to Australian women that their government will treat them with respect and recognise that their issues matter.

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