Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Hansard source

This discussion has highlighted for me another significant issue in relation to pregnant women meeting the work test. Pregnancy discrimination is, of course, known to happen in Australia. Clearly, if you have a permanent contract and you're employed then you have some protections. However, if you're a casual employee your shifts can suddenly drop off because of that pregnancy discrimination. Has the government done any assessment of the issues around someone meeting the work test when they otherwise would have met it—they're not leaving a job or dropping shifts of their own accord by choice but rather are experiencing pregnancy discrimination and insecure work rights and therefore do not meet the work test?