Katie Allen (Higgins, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Women. Will the minister please update the House on how the Morrison government is working to support both the safety and the economic security of Australian women?

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

I thank the member for her question. She absolutely exemplifies women's leadership and mentoring, both in her professional life and of course since coming to this place. Women are a huge part of our economic recovery coming out of COVID because more than three-quarters of the new full-time jobs are going to women. Over the course of their careers, women look for the right job at the right time, supported by quality child care, superannuation, equal pay and a supportive and respectful workplace leading to financial security and independence. That's the key, because with financial security and independence come life choices, including moving to higher paid positions as we see the gender gap close under this government. New training so you can change vocation and follow your passion is something I have had a chance to see recently in rural Australia. That is training that is supporting women after a mid-career break so they don't lose their valuable knowledge and skills.

The member is a passionate supporter of female economic empowerment. She hosts regular women-in-business meetings in her electorate. They are dynamic events, I know.

We are committed to backing women like Linda Tassone in the electorate of Higgins. Linda runs Jeffreys Books, a business that originally started 60 years ago. In addition to Linda's landlord being very supportive with rent relief, Linda has used both JobKeeper and our cashflow boost to keep operating. We are also supporting businesses like Linda's in a variety of other ways, but especially through the 2020 Women's Economic Security Statement, which builds on the first 2018 statement and complements our JobMaker initiatives. Women are seizing the opportunities being presented and we are seeing that as such a major part of our economic recovery. We are determined to build on this initial progress because there is always more work to do, particularly because we know that women's economic security and independence can be a vital part of their personal security.

We have continued the work of the Gillard government since 2013, committing more than $1 billion to reduce violence against women and their children. Each of us have safe places within our electorates that women can turn to that provide them somewhere to go when they are faced with domestic violence. Those places can link them with the legal and support services they need. We often think we know the challenges that women face in these situations, but it can be hard to understand the vulnerability of being locked out of your home and your bank account and away from your family support networks. I caught up with Angela Lynch from the Women's Legal Service Queensland to gain an update on how local courts interact with victims of sexual violence. I'm pleased that we were able to provide $130 million during COVID to support women in these precarious situations.