Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Faruqi, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Government continues to exclude over 1 million casual workers from the JobKeeper payment,

(ii) the Government has announced it will axe the JobKeeper payment for childcare sector workers on 20 July 2020, and

(iii) the Government has agreed to consider Labor's call to reduce the JobKeeper payment for low income earners;

(b) further notes that the above issues negatively impact women as:

(i) women have been hit hardest by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,

(ii) women account for a disproportionate share of the casual workforce,

(iii) in February 2020, the full-time average weekly earnings of women was $1,508, so reducing the JobKeeper payment for low income workers will have a significant impact on women,

(iv) women's underemployment ratio now sits at an unprecedented 16 per cent, compared to 14 per cent for men; and

(v) the last census indicates that over 90 percent of childcare sector workers are women;

(c) also notes that the Government's stimulus response disproportionately benefits men, fails to support low-paid and female-dominated industries, and undervalues unpaid labour activities, which are largely performed by women; and

(d) calls on the Government to support women in work instead of continuing to prioritise measures that will see women lose hours, lose jobs and lose income. (general business notice of motion no.664)

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Women are making a significant contribution to the COVID-19 response and recovery. While many businesses have been adversely affected by COVID-19 and are reducing their workforces, some areas of the economy have an increased demand for workers, including in industries and occupations dominated by women, such as the health and care sectors. Some male dominated industries are also seeing positive demand, such as in transport and logistics, and mining and mining services. It will be critical that these industries draw upon everyone's full capabilities, both men and women, to accelerate our overall recovery as a society and as an economy.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor understand the intent of this motion and support a large part of it, but I think the inclusion of paragraph (a)(iii) means that we will not be in a position to support it today.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that general business notice of motion No. 664 standing in the names of Senators Waters and Faruqi be agreed to.