Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

Can I thank the member for Chisholm, and can I say what an absolute pleasure it is to look at our backbench and our frontbench and see so many women representing their constituencies here in this place. It's not the first time that I've made this point in this chamber, but it bears repeating that the Albanese Labor government is the first female-majority cabinet with the first female-majority government in Australia's history.

The gender equity within the Labor Party is a result of decades of purposeful work. I know we're still a day away from Friday the 13th, so I'll try not to spook those opposite—they're doing a pretty good job of doing that themselves this week—but I do want to mention affirmative action. In 1994 the Australian Labor Party first introduced affirmative action for women. Now, over 30 years later, you can see the results of that decision before you: a party and government that is full to the brim with bright, talented women contributing to our parliament and standing up for their communities. Do you know why it is important to have women in the room, making decisions—women in leadership positions? It's because of the difference it makes—the difference it makes to women. It means we can deliver not only for them here but out there, which is the most important thing we can do.

Under this government, we have made significant progress with the gender pay gap, with a record low of 11.5 per cent. In 2022, we were ranked 43rd; we're now ranked 13th. We've expanded paid parental leave, and we're paying super on it. On 1 January we delivered three-day universal child care. We've delivered pay increases in women dominated industries, like aged care and early education. We've delivered a tax cut for every taxpayer—90 per cent of women better off—and we'll deliver further tax cuts this year.

But I wonder who was the shadow Treasurer, in fact, who decided that those opposite would vote against tax cuts, particularly tax cuts for women? It was, obviously, the member for Hume. But that's not all. He, of course, was also one of the architects of the opposition's 'return to work' policy and has also, in fact, been one of the chief opponents of affirmative action in the Liberal Party. I give you the smartest policy brain in the Liberal Party!

And, in the last nine months, what we've seen is persistent undermining of the Liberal Party's first ever female leader—from day one. Now, those aren't my words. Those are the words of your shadow Attorney-General, and I couldn't agree more—persistent undermining from day one. While the Liberals engage in the embarrassing spectacle that we see before us, Labor are getting on with the work, and we are working every day for the women of this country.

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