Ellie Whiteaker (WA, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Gallagher. In one week's time, our Paid Parental Leave scheme will reach a full 26 weeks, the biggest expansion of the scheme in its history. Can the minister outline why the Albanese Labor government has prioritised investment in women's economic security, in particular in paid parental leave, since coming to government?

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

I thank Senator Whiteaker for the question. It's an important one around the increase to paid parental leave and the fact that, in a week's time, the Paid Parental Leave scheme will reach a full 26 weeks of providing support to families and those caring for new babies whilst they are out of the workforce.

From 1 July, eligible families will be able to access 26 weeks of PPL backed by the government. With Labor's changes, families will receive almost $30,000 across their paid parental leave period, including super. I think it was the final employment entitlement that didn't have superannuation paid on it. We on this side of the chamber have fixed that. Parents of more than 460,000 children have already benefited from our changes to PPL. Every single year those changes will benefit around 180,000 families.

Our changes mean more time. Parents who are welcoming a new baby or adopting a child will have six months of PPL, giving families more precious time at home with their newest family member. They also mean more money. Parents accessing PPL from 1 July will receive more than double what they would have received before Labor came to government. Under our expanded scheme, parents will be about $15,692 better off than they were before we came to government. There is more support for sharing care because we know the dads or the second parent want to make sure that they are able to spend time with their children, and they should be supported by the scheme's design. More people are eligible, with the annual income limits for paid parental leave also rising. PPL is a Labor legacy, and we are proud to build this, expand on it and deliver it for Australian families.

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

Senator Whiteaker, first supplementary?

Ellie Whiteaker (WA, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Paid parental leave is just one of the Albanese Labor government's policies to support women, from women's health to closing the gender pay gap and lifting wages in female dominated industries. How are these reforms improving outcomes for women across Australia?

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

I thank Senator Whiteaker for that question too. She is right that we have put driving gender equality and providing better support to women at the centre of government decision-making since coming to government. It is about the programs in women's health, about closing the gender pay gap, which is now the lowest it's ever been, about lifting wages and about ensuring women are able to work if they choose to and are not penalised for taking on extra hours.

We've done, of course, our paid family and domestic violence leave, our expansion of PPL, our super on PPL and, in women's health, modern contraceptives, adding them on the PBS the first time in over 30 years. Modern menopause treatments are coming through the PBS, where no new options had been placed for the last 20 years. We've opened up our endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics around the country. They are open and being very well supported by women who need that kind of care. And we will continue to focus on making sure we are addressing gaps in how we support women across our economy.

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

Senator Whiteaker, second supplementary?

Ellie Whiteaker (WA, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the minister aware of any risks to these important social programs, and how can we continue to protect them?

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

(—) (): I thank Senator Whiteaker for that question too. It is important. We know that, while we can make gains and we do make gains, on this side of the chamber we always look at ways we can better support women. We know that that doesn't come without challenge or without threats to that, and we need to protect it. In the last little while, we have seen comments made about women just having children to get these types of payments, that PPL will send small business broke and that if people bring children into the world it's their responsibility, not the taxpayers', and we don't accept that on this side of the chamber. In the last month, Senator Hanson said: 'Why should business pay because they're not at work? That's the difference. That's why the pay gap is there.' That, again, is not correct analysis. Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson, back in 2013, said: 'PPL, to me, is a very bad scheme, and I make no ambiguity about it. This is not my choice that women have children. It's genetic.' (Time expired)