Alice Jordan-Baird (Gorton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Purple is the colour of International Women's Day. It was used in the women's suffrage movement. It's a symbol of dignity and justice, and it's a motif in the artistic expression of women, from Gwen Harwood's 'The Violets' to Taylor Swift's 'Lavender Haze'. It's a symbol of women's empowerment, and that's why we wear purple with pride on this side of the House. We're a government which lifts women up, which recognises the very real ways that women are still held back in our society and makes real change to remove these obstacles. It's why we've brought in paid prac so that women in female-dominated fields are paid during their placements. It's why we've expanded the Leaving Violence Program. It's why we've brought in cheaper child care and the three-day childcare guarantee. It's why we've secured a 15 per cent pay rise for early childhood educators, and it's why we're paying super on paid parental leave.

You won't see much colour on that side of the House. Those opposite save their true colours for backroom deals—deals amongst men to undermine female leaders—and for reminding Australia, as the member for Longman did so eloquently, that women prefer hairdressing and men prefer maths. That's who they are. But it's not who we are. I'm so proud to be part of a Labor caucus that is 57 per cent women and to be part of a government that reflects modern Australia and which is making concrete change for the women of our country. That's why we wear purple today.

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