Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

I can indicate that the government considers that the award modernisation request which is included in the explanatory memorandum does address this concern, and I would refer the chamber to item 3(E), which includes promotion of the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value. I also point out that section 576B, which sets out the commission’s award modernisation function, contains at subparagraph (2)(e) the same iteration—the promotion of the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value.

I also understand that section 104 of the principal act requires the commission to take into account the need to apply the principle of equal pay for work of equal value in performing its functions, and that section will continue to apply to the commission in undertaking award modernisation. The government does share concerns about the erosion of women’s pay and conditions and an apparent increase in the gender pay gap under the previous government’s Work Choices laws. We are working to redress this in a number of ways including: the abolition of AWAs, establishing a stronger no disadvantage test, establishing a new safety net including 10 National Employment Standards and through the award modernisation process.

In addition, changes to the equal remuneration provisions in the act are currently being considered in the context of the government’s substantive workplace relations legislation to be introduced into parliament this year. The award modernisation request, as I have outlined already, ensures the commission must promote the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value, and this is a stronger requirement in the government’s view than ensuring equal pay for work of equal value.