Julie-Ann Campbell (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are the dominant force in controlling consumer spending. When we participate in the workforce, we drive productivity and competitiveness. And when our full potential is unlocked, the economic impact is unreal, in the tens and tens of billions of dollars. We are women, and, if the economy matters to you, then women matter to you. As we approach International Women's Day, it's worth reflecting on the achievements of the Albanese Labor government in this space—expanded paid parental leave, including superannuation; tax cuts that leave 90 per cent of women better off; and gender pay gap reporting, which was released yesterday and shows that gap closing. These are not nice-to-haves; they are key and core drivers of our nation's economic outcomes.

Yesterday we were reminded of the shadow Treasurer's comments about women. The shadow Treasurer said:

… It's not my choice that women have children; it's genetic.

It is not just revealing about his attitude towards women; it is also revealing about and is an indictment on his fundamental economic credentials to be an alternative treasurer of this nation.