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The Coalition Government is delivering practical measures to help give women greater choices about their lives, build financial security for themselves and their families, and grow the Australian economy.
Over the past few decades, Australia has taken great strides in improving women’s economic independence and security.
There are more women in work than ever before, with a majority of the more than 1.1 million jobs created since the Coalition came to office taken up by women; this year has also seen women’s participation in the labour market reach record highs – in October 2018, the women’s participation rate was 60.5 per cent; and the gender pay gap is moving in the right direction, down to a record low of 14.5 per cent.
But despite this progress, some problems still persist. Women are likely to earn less than men; they are likely to work part-time at over twice the rate of men; and at retirement age there is a 42 per cent gap in their superannuation balances.
The Women’s Economic Security Statement is built around three key pillars: participation in the workforce, better earning potential and economic independence.
That is why the $109 million Statement is focussed on assisting women at many different points of their lives, in different parts of Australia, and in different circumstances.
It will help equip them with the tools and support they need to make the best choices about their future.
Whether it is boosting entrepreneurship in girls and young women, bringing business together to help reduce the ‘flexibility gap’ and gender pay gap, expanding the parents who can access parental leave payments and the period the payment is taken, or supporting women in their darkest hour with access to the funds they need to escape domestic violence, the Coalition Government is focused on supporting Australian women.
The Women’s Economic Security Statement won’t just give women and their families’ greater choice, it will also grow the Australian economy.
When women do well, their families do well, and our economy and nation prospers.

The Women’s Economic Security Package ($109 million over four years)
Building on strong foundations

The Women’s Economic Security Package is built around three pillars:

1. Workforce participation
2. Earning potential
3. Economic independence

Measures to increase women’s workforce participation
($54.8 million over four y ears):

• reinstating the Time Use Survey, a contemporary evidence base to measure women’s economic security
• improvements to Workplace Gender Equality Agency systems to enhance Australia’s gender equality data and reduce the cost of reporting for business
• establishing the Reducing Barriers to Work Forum
• increasing flexibility in the Paid Parental Leave system and extending access through changes to the work test
• supporting regional employers through the Career Revive initiative to develop action plans for their business to attract and retain women returning to work after a career break
• providing scholarships for women in economics and finance through the Women’s Leadership and Development Program

Measures to improve women’s earning potential
($18.6 million over four years):

• an expansion of the Curious Minds program
• establishing a Future Female Entrepreneurs program in partnership with the private sector
• creating a new grants program, Boosting Female Founders, to ensure women can access the finance they need to achieve their entrepreneurial goals

Measures to support women’s economic independence
($35.6 million over four years):

• providing Specialist Domestic Violence Units and Health Justice Partnerships, including for financial support services
• extending early release of superannuation for victims of domestic and family violence
• expanding the No Interest Loan Scheme run by Good Shepherd Microfinance to women experiencing family and domestic violence
• funding legal assistance to ensure victims of family violence are protected from direct cross-examination by their perpetrators in family law matters
• improving the visibility of superannuation assets in family law proceedings
• providing family law property mediation
• establishing a new Small Claims Property pilots program

Today, the Leader of the Opposition has written to the Prime Minister urging him to agree to a bipartisan taskforce, led by the Attorney-General and Shadow Attorney-General, to create a National Integrity Commission.
At the beginning of 2018, Labor announced our plan to legislate for a federal anti-corruption body. All year, the Government has ignored our requests for cooperation.
This issue should be above politics. The time has come for the Liberal and National parties to support a federal anti-corruption body.
A bipartisan process would help ensure the complex consultation and design work can be completed swiftly, and a body established as a priority.
In recent years there has been a loss of public faith in government and Commonwealth institutions. The Liberal Party’s chaos and division have further eroded Australians’ trust in politics.
Labor welcomes the support of members of the cross-bench for a federal anti-corruption body. This provides an opportunity to secure broad parliamentary support to establish a National Integrity Commission before the next election, if Scott Morrison and the Liberals finally come on board.
Mr Morrison delayed the Banking Royal Commission by voting against it 26 times. He should not let his arrogance and stubbornness get in the way of a National Integrity Commission.
Mr Morrison should learn from his mistakes, and join with Labor now so we can work on this issue together.
We are prepared to work with the Liberals, but we will not wait for them.
If Mr Morrison continues to block a National Integrity Commission, a Shorten Labor Government will deliver it.
A copy of the letter can be found here.

The Government’s attempt at winning back female support with its women’s economic statement today will fail for its lack of funding and lack of vision, Greens spokesperson for women, Senator Larissa Waters said.
“The women’s economic security statement by the Women’s Minister today contains only minor reforms and pittance of new funding – it equates to a mere four cents per week for adult Australian women. Four cents a week will not fix anything for Australian women.
“The Prime Minister is still nowhere on addressing issues women face, and has been utterly silent on the gender pay gap, rates of domestic violence, and has denied internal bullying of women. His only utterance has been teen-worthy sexualised remarks about Pamela Anderson, for which he still hasn’t apologised.
“Making paid parental leave more flexible is inconsequential when it is still limited to 18 weeks not 6 months, still doesn’t encourage fathers to take more time with their children, and still doesn’t include Super.
“Accessing super early when fleeing DV will still be complex and will simply worsen women’s financial security later in life. And while moves to stop alleged perpetrators cross-examining survivors are welcome, they are long overdue and don’t address the need for vastly more funding so women can access the legal support they need, rather than 40 per cent of callers being turned away.
“What Australian women need to be safe is paid domestic violence leave, a massive funding boost for frontline domestic violence crisis services so no woman is turned away, leadership to drive cultural change so that women are viewed as equals in society, and decent funding for primary prevention of DV.
“What Australian women need to be equal is longer paid parental leave with superannuation, employers to be forced to disclose and close their gender pay gap, equal representation in parliaments and on boards, increased rate of Newstart and for single parents not to be forced onto lower Newstart, affordable and accessible childcare, fairer superannuation taxation, and the right to make decisions about our reproductive health.
“What Australian women need is to not be invisible to Prime Minister Morrison. Get on board or get out of the way,” concluded Senator Waters.

On this year’s Transgender Day of Remembrance, Greens LGBTIQ+ spokesperson Senator Janet Rice acknowledged the importance of the day and paid her respects to the trans and gender diverse people who are no longer with us.
Senator Rice also called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to apologise to all trans and gender diverse Australians for the hurt and damage his past actions have caused.
“This Trans Day of Remembrance I remember the beautiful trans and gender diverse people we have lost because our society refused to celebrate them,” Senator Rice said.
“It is devastating that in Australia and around the world trans and gender diverse people continue to face daily discrimination, violence and vilification.
“Is this any wonder when transphobic, hateful bigots like Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro have been elected into high office around the world?
“Here in Australia we have a Prime Minister who labelled a program to help teachers support trans and gender diverse kids as ‘gender whispering’, saying we should ‘let kids be kids’.
“These kind of statements from our Prime Minister and elected leaders contribute to trans and gender diverse people suffering worse mental health outcomes than their cisgender peers and the high rate of self-harm and suicide of trans and gender diverse people.
“I call on the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, to use today to reflect on the hurt and damage his past actions have caused and apologise to trans and gender diverse Australians.”
Senator Rice also recommitted the Greens to working with the trans and gender diverse community to fight discrimination and realise their rights.
“To trans and gender diverse Australians I say the Greens will always fight alongside you to make your lives easier and safer, so you can thrive and access the health and support services you require.

The Liberal National Government is providing an additional $51.5 million to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP) and the Federal Court of Australia to enable further prosecutions of criminal misconduct by banks and other financial institutions and to ensure civil claims are dealt with effectively and expeditiously.
ASIC’s increased enforcement activity, stemming from the additional $70 million in funding from the Liberal National Government, is expected to give rise to more prosecutions by the CDPP and more civil corporate misconduct cases before the Federal Court. This includes cases highlighted by the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry.
As part of this funding boost, an additional $41.6 million will be provided to the CDPP over eight years. This funding will allow the CDPP to consider more prosecutions put forward by ASIC and hire additional prosecutors to manage the increased caseload. This additional funding will also allow the CDPP to prosecute cases faster to ensure individuals and companies that have broken the law face justice sooner.
A further $9.9 million will also be provided to the Federal Court of Australia over four years to fund the appointment of additional resources including two new judges to support civil cases. These appointments will enable the Federal Court to accommodate an increase in disputes with financial institutions as well as civil claims resulting from ASIC’s increased enforcement activity.
The Government has also asked the Attorney-General’s Department (AGD) to conduct a review of whether the Federal Court’s criminal jurisdiction should be expanded to include corporate crime. Any criminal prosecutions for misconduct by banks and other financial institutions are currently heard in state courts and hence have to compete with state cases for resources and scheduling. The creation of this additional criminal jurisdiction in the Federal Court would allow these prosecutions to be prioritised and penalties for breaches of the law to be handed out faster. The AGD will consult with relevant stakeholders including the states in undertaking the review and provide its report to the Government in January next year.
Further, the Government will establish a Committee of Regulatory Enforcement Strategy chaired by the Attorney-General’s Department and comprising representatives from the relevant agencies that regulate the financial services sector. These agencies will meet on a regular basis to discuss enforcement matters in the sector and provide feedback to the Government on regulatory and civil enforcement policy.
These initiatives and the additional funding underscore the Liberal National Government’s commitment to ensuring that these agencies and our broader justice system are appropriately resourced to effectively hold banks and other financial institutions to account for misconduct. A strong financial sector which is trusted by Australians is part of the Coalition’s plan for a stronger economy.