Corinne Mulholland (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Women and Minister for Finance, Senator Gallagher. Today's release of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency's gender equality scorecard is a timely reminder of why closing the gender pay gap matters for fairness and economic growth. Equal pay strengthens families, boost productivity and lifts living standards. What do the latest figures reveal about progress, and how are the Albanese Labor government's reforms helping to deliver better outcomes for women and the economy?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Mulholland for the question and for her ongoing interest in gender equality and the gender pay gap. The report today from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency's use of data shows that the gender pay gap continues to narrow, dropping to 21.1 per cent, down from 28.8 per cent. This report includes CEO and manager pay and captures total remuneration for workers in private sector firms with 100 or more employees. The median gender pay gap is down to 16.4 per cent, from 18.3 per cent, the biggest drop since median pay gaps have been reported.

This progress follows significant reform by our government to introduce gender pay gap reporting at the employer level, bringing transparency and accountability to the gender pay gap conversation. From next year, employers with 500 or more employees will need to set targets for gender equality in their workplace, driving faster change. There are some promising signs reported in this year's scorecard. More men are taking paid parental leave, with men representing 20 per cent of all employees who took primary carer parental leave, which is a great result. The scorecard also shows that 99 per cent of employers have a policy to prevent sexual harassment, following reforms by our government to implement the Respect@Work recommendations. Employers are also advancing gender equality by adopting flexible work arrangements, especially for managers continuing to review gender pay gaps.

There is still work to do. Progress to improve gender balance on governing boards is too slow, with nearly a quarter of all governing boards having no women on them at all. The scorecard also shows that discretionary payments such as performance bonuses, allowances and overtime are driving up the gender pay gap, with men on average earning 60 per cent more than women through such payments.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Mulholland, first supplementary?

Corinne Mulholland (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There's been some great progress achieved to date, and, just like narrowing the gender pay gap, the strength of our economy depends on secure jobs and fair wages. How are the latest job and wages figures reflecting the Albanese Labor government's broader economic plan, and what do they mean for sustaining growth and lifting living standards across the country?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Mulholland for that supplementary, and, as Senator Mulholland touched on, driving women's economic equality has been a key priority for our government. That means lifting wages and closing gaps where we see them, including in pay but also in super. We've done a lot of work, and I acknowledge Senator McAllister, who, when we first came to government, did a very significant piece of work around inequality when it comes to women's superannuation.

Labor's tax cuts also ensured that women taxpayers were 90 per cent better off under our arrangements, and of course we've reformed the low-income super tax offset to support lower-income women to save more for their retirement. We've introduced payday super to ensure that people get their super earlier, and that will assist in closing that gap as well. It has, of course, joined with our broader focus on driving wages and getting wages moving again.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Mulholland, second supplementary?

Corinne Mulholland (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This year we have already seen a strengthening economy with a narrowing of the gender pay gap, record employment and rising wages across the economy. How do these results position Australia for the year ahead, and why is it critical to maintain these gains for families and businesses, especially in the face of those who would take a different approach?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Mulholland, for that question. We are delivering more real, practical and ongoing help with the cost of living to all Australians, and much of that has been opposed by the coalition, including our pay rise for minimum- and award-wage workers, increasing the superannuation guarantee to 12 per cent, looking at paid parental leave, our boost to Medicare with our expanded bulk-billing, our cutting of student debt—and many students and former students will be getting those text messages that are rolling out now—and our opening of another 50 Medicare urgent care clinics.

This has all been part of how we're not only focusing on wages and women's economic equality but also ensuring that other things like services and structural changes, including for paying super on PPL, are being made to continue to show that we are trying to make things easier for people and reduce women's economic inequality at the same time.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am informed that Senator Thorpe has given her question to Senator David Pocock.