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Over 20 years in the making, Wolli Creek Regional Park is officially expanded

The creation of one of Sydney’s largest parks is one step closer with almost 5ha of rare native bushland near the CBD added to Wolli Creek Regional Park within the first year of the NSW Labor Government.

This new parkland will provide an important opportunity for additional greenspace, outdoor recreation and community spaces, in an area that is one of the most densely populated parts of NSW, Wolli Creek.

The NSW Labor Government understands the need to preserve the natural environment particularly in built up areas. It’s why the Government committed $13 million in the last budget to complete and maintain the park.

It also comes on top of the government’s commitment to convert half of Moore Park Golf Course into a public park, once the operating agreement expires in June 2026.

The Carr Labor Government started the process of creating the Wolli Creek Regional Park in 1998. Twenty years later, the Minns Labor Government is getting on with finishing the job.

For years, the local community including from Georges River, Bayside and Inner West councils and significantly from the Wolli Creek Preservation Society, have fought to complete this park.

Frequented by people from across Sydney, the 4.7ha of new parkland that has been added to the park include 16 parcels of additional land, increasing its total area to 45ha and making it possible to walk all the way from Bexley North to Earlwood, and Earlwood to Wolli Creek.

Of the 4.7ha, 2.1 was transferred to NPWS by the Office of Strategic Lands.

A further 2.6ha has been acquired from the City of Canterbury Bankstown and will protect “Nanny Goat Hill” which offers panoramic views across the Wolli Creek Valley.

This park also conserves iconic bushland along Wolli Creek which provides valuable open space and is also home to an array of birdlife, native mammals and a colony of Grey-headed flying-foxes, which are listed as vulnerable.

NPWS will continue to work with councils and the Office of Strategic Lands to complete the transfer and acquisition of the final 4.9ha.

Premier of NSW and Member for Kogarah Chris Minns said:

“Families across Sydney’s south including my own, love our natural parklands. This expansion of the park will provide them with even more opportunities to enjoy nature right in our own backyards.

“For decades completing Wolli Creek Regional Park has been put in the too hard basket, but now the NSW Labor Government is protecting this important area of natural bushland.”

“With more people continuing to move into this area, this won’t just open up even more open space for them to enjoy, it will also protect this parkland for future generations.

Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said:

“Expanding the Wolli Creek Regional Park ensures plants, animals and people can enjoy more of the area’s unique natural landscape.

“This urban oasis provides rare and crucial habitat for more than 460 plant and animal species.

“Reserving additional land takes us a big step closer to completing the park and provides the highest level of long-term security for these diverse ecosystems.”

Member for Summer Hill, Minister Jo Haylen said:

“This has been a long time coming. I’m proud that the NSW Labor Government is going to protect and expand Wolli Creek Regional Park, so we can all enjoy this beautiful and unique part of Sydney.”

“Congratulations to everyone in the community who has worked so hard to make this happen. Community groups like the Wolli Creek Preservation Society have been pushing for this for decades.”

“But this isn’t just a great win for the people of the Georges River, Bayside and Inner West. It’s a great win for everyone across our city who can now come and enjoy this beautiful park.”

Member for Canterbury, Minister Sophie Cotsis said:

“More and more people have discovered great walking tracks across Sydney. Today is a fantastic result for those campaigning for more open space for many years.

“I really look forward to sharing this beautiful space with my family and others from the area. It’s great to celebrate nature, local wildlife and take advantage of everything Sydney has to offer.”

Member for Rockdale, Minister Steve Kamper said:

“First and foremost, I want to thank the outstanding community campaigners that have been advocating for this park for years. This is a fantastic community result.

“Parks and open space are a precious commodity throughout Sydney. As we continue to grow, the NSW Labor Government is delivering the important green space our local communities require to ensure we have the right mix in and around the Wolli Creek area.”

SS NEMESIS: Call to find descendants of shipwreck victims answered

Twenty relatives of crew members who died at sea 120 years ago have come forward to share their family stories, after the wreck of SS Nemesis was found off Port Kembla on the NSW coast.

Minister for Heritage Penny Sharpe issued a global call almost two weeks ago, asking for descendants of the 32 people on board the ship when it vanished in 1904 to reach out to Heritage NSW. Crew members were from Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada. Between them, they left behind more than 40 children.

So far, 20 grandchildren and great grandchildren have come forward from NSW, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, to seek and share information about their family history. They include relatives of Captain Alexander Lusher.

Heritage NSW is asking relatives to write down their stories so they can be collated and archived. Until now, these stories were hidden from this chapter in the maritime history of NSW. They are providing a better understanding and appreciation of the plight of SS Nemesis as well as previous unknown details of shipping, trade and craftmanship from the early 1900s.

The discovery and recent identification of the wreck solved a mystery spanning more than a century.

SS Nemesis departed Newcastle in July 1904, loaded with coal and headed for Melbourne. It was last sighted signalling distress in a storm off Wollongong. The bodies of at least four crew members washed ashore at Cronulla Beach in the days after, and the men were buried in Sutherland.

In 2022, remote sensing company Subsea Professional Marine Services discovered the vessel in deep, high-current water, and this year experts from Heritage NSW and CSIRO have been able to match the wreck’s distinctive features with historical photographs and sketches of SS Nemesis.

Those with a connection to SS Nemesis are asked to contact Heritage NSW or heritagemailbox@environment.nsw.gov.au.

Minister for Heritage Penny Sharpe said:

“This discovery is already bringing closure to families tied to this maritime tragedy, and I hope more and more people will come forward, from Australia and possibly even the UK and Canada.

“NSW now has a better understanding of its heritage, thanks to this huge collaborative effort to discover what happened to SS Nemesis and her brave crew in stormy waters back in 1904.”

Denise Burrell, Great Granddaughter of Captain Alexander Lusher said:

“My family members are descendants of Alexander Lusher, Captain of SS Nemesis at the time it was wrecked.

“My mother, who is 99 years old, is Captain Lusher’s granddaughter and now his oldest surviving relative.

“After hearing the wreck had been found, Mum re-told our family the story of SS Nemesis from what she remembers.

“Throughout my life I have heard the ‘family folklore’, but this research and discovery has made it so much more real.

“The partnership between Heritage NSW, CSIRO and Subsea Professional Marine Services has provided us with so much information to fill the gaps in our knowledge. Thanks sincerely for this.”

Innovative level crossing trial for rural and regional NSW

A $1.2 million trial of new digital technology to improve level crossing safety in rural and regional areas will soon get underway in New South Wales.

Transport for NSW will run the trial, in partnership with the Australian Government, the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) and technology company Rail Safety Systems.

The technology, called Rail Active Crossing System (RAXS), is a modular low-cost wireless solution specifically designed for rural and remote locations to turn passive level crossings into active sites.

This will be done using both flashing lights at the crossing as well as wireless train- activated advanced signage which warns motorists that there is a train approaching the level crossing ahead.

In the rare event of a system disruption, it automatically enters ‘stop sign’ mode, and becomes like a passive crossing – with motorists having to obey the stop sign rules. This compares to existing active level crossings, which activate warning bells and lights until maintenance crews arrive.

The system is solar-powered, wireless and a modular design, can be quickly and cost-effectively installed, and needs less maintenance, potentially overcoming some of the barriers to getting more activated level crossings.

There are more than 2,700 level crossings in NSW, including 1,307 on public roads and of these, 858 are passively controlled by stop or give way signage.

Installation of the first level crossing with the new technology is due to occur this year and Transport for NSW is working with ARTC to determine a suitable location.

The system’s innovative design allows for new features to be developed and tested. As part of the trial, Transport will be seeking community and industry feedback on the use of advanced warnings and developing future features to improve level crossing safety.

The NSW Government is providing $715,000 funding for the trial, along with $500,000 from the Australian Government’s Regional Australia Level Crossing Safety Program.

Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said:

“Saving lives and livelihoods by improving road and rail safety is a top priority for the Albanese Government, which is why we are partnering with the NSW Government to trial this new level crossing technology.

“Regional and rural communities have been campaigning for safety upgrades at level crossings and we are acting, with this grant being just the latest example.

“Through the Regional Australia Level Crossing Safety Program, we are investing a total of $180 million towards level crossing safety initiatives, from infrastructure upgrades such as boom gates through to other innovative technologies and data.

“I look forward to seeing this technology make a real difference during the trial, and to continuing to work with the NSW Government to advance level crossing safety in the state.”

NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:

“Most fatalities at level crossing crashes happen in rural and regional areas, leaving families and whole communities devastated.

“Geography, lack of access to power, and other infrastructure constraints mean it is not always possible to install traditional level crossing treatments.

“I am pleased to be able to announce a trial of this innovative technology, which has been long awaited by regional communities, survivors and family members of those we have lost in level crossing crashes.

“If successful, the trial of RAXS technology could make activating more regional level crossings more affordable and rolled out more quickly. Up to three sites could be upgraded for the cost of traditional level crossing treatments.

“The NSW Government is committed to implementing a suite of measures to improve level crossing safety, including grade separation, new technology upgrades and low speed limits, depending on the circumstances and constraints at each crossing.

“Most importantly we are working on a coordinated approach that provides certainty to those who have experienced a catastrophic crash at a level crossing that we will act to improve level crossing safety across the network.”

NSW Government marks International Women’s Day

The NSW Government is proud to mark International Women’s Day, a global moment where we celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness about ongoing gender inequalities and recommit ourselves to taking action.

The NSW Government is proud to be the first in the states history to have achieved gender parity in Cabinet.

However, the Government also knows that there is still a long journey to gender equity across the state. In fact, the NSW Gender Equality Key Economic Indicators Index lays that out in stark numbers:

In NSW there is still a gender pay gap of 11.8 per cent, with men on average earning $1924.8 a week, while women earn $1697.0.

On average each week NSW women undertake approximately 30.3 hours of unpaid labour. This is almost double the 17.9 hours performed by men.

Despite bearing the brunt of unpaid labour, women have lower rates of paid workforce participation at 61.4 per cent, compared to males who participate at a rate of 70.4 percent.

This Year, the United Nations International Women’s Day theme is, Count Her In: Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress.

The NSW Government is proud to mark International Women’s Day with an investment of $5.8 million for the Future Women’s Jobs Academy, to boost the job readiness, workforce participation and economic security of NSW women.

This commitment was initially made prior to the election, one year ago today on International Women’s Day 2023.

The two-year program will support 1,000 women to access the free, virtual service, delivering one to two hours of activities per week to members to build their confidence, capabilities, and connections needed to commence their job search, secure employment pathways and thrive at work.

Jobs Academy NSW will offer a range of activities for participants including:

Future Proof webinar series
Small group mentoring
Jobs Connections webinars
Opportunities Board
Future Women Leadership Summit
Gender diversity literacy program for employer partners

The program is particularly focused on providing access to women from communities that have lower workforce participation rates and face intersecting barriers to entering and progressing in the workforce. This includes:

Culturally and racially marginalised (CARM) women
Women with disability
Women living in regional, rural, and remote areas
Aboriginal and Torres Strait women (for whom applications will be considered first for acceptance into the program).

The program will be delivered by Australian company Future Women in partnership with the NSW Government.

Find out more about the two-year program, which opens for applications in May 2024.

Chris Minns, Premier of NSW said:

“The NSW Government understands our responsibility in continuing to invest in and work towards gender equality across NSW.

“This is an important investment, because we know equality will not just happen, we have to take action to ensure it is achieved.

“As a government we are committed to doing that.”

Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said:

“The NSW Government is committed to fostering economic opportunity and boosting participation and empowerment for women and girls across the state.

“I’m very excited to announce we will be funding this program, especially on International Women’s Day where we celebrate women’s achievements. It’s also important to use this day to commit and redouble our efforts to address barriers that perpetuate gender inequality.”

Founder and Managing Director of Future Women Helen McCabe said:

“Since inception we have had to sadly turn women away and this investment allows us to support an additional 1,000 women over the next two years.

“The participants will have access to our innovative pre-employment program which supports women through a range of resources including online jobs and skills fairs, coaching, resume assistance, podcasts and articles.

“But what sets this program apart is the sense of community. The participants are encouraged to support one another in the often daunting task of re-entering the workplace especially if they are older.”

Minns Labor Government backflips on IPART review

After almost 12 months since being elected, the Minister for Local Government, Ron Hoenig is continuing to demonstrate that the Minns Labor Government has no direction or vision for New South Wales.

During the Minister’s Budget Estimates hearing, he revealed another backflip, this time on the IPART review of the Council Financial Model in NSW he announced just four weeks ago.

The IPART review is still open for submissions on terms of reference, it was envisaged once terms of reference were agreed upon the review would take at least 12 months to conduct the review, yet instead of shortening the timeframe of the review, the Minister has detailed plans for an Upper House Committee on the matter.

“I have sought to find a chair who will take the poison chalice,” Minister Hoenig said today on the financial sustainability of Local Government in NSW.

Shadow Minister for Local Government, Wendy Tuckerman said that since Labor came to power, Councils across NSW have been in financial and operational turmoil under a Minister who continues to contemplate rather than take considered action.

“The Minister, after 12 months, is still considering what direction to take – meanwhile the Local Government sector is left languishing, with no direction or support for the sector, which is burdened with uncertainty across the state – inaction from Labor is impacting communities,” Mrs Tuckerman said.

“You have an IPART review which is still deciding its terms of reference and detailing that they will take another 12 months to undertake the actual review – and the Minister’s solution is another review entirely, a backflip all within a month of the original announcement.

Questions were raised in estimates about his choice in selecting the Upper House Committee for the review and why it wasn’t discussed with the portfolio committee. A pointed question was whether the Minister was hoping to achieve a certain political outcome with the upper house review, a point he denied.

“With the amount of Special Rate Variation requests across NSW, the Labor Government needs to address the bill shock being faced by communities across NSW.

The Minister stated he continues to advocate to the Federal Government for increased revenue for the Local Government Sector but highlighted the considerable tension between the Federal Labor Government and the NSW Government on the increase in the taxation income for both the state and the Local Government sector.

The Local Government Sector is looking for leadership, the Minister needs to turn off cruise control and start driving change.

TRUTH TELLING – FIRST NATIONS RACISM THROUGH THE EYES OF OUR CHILDREN

Yesterday in Broome at approximately 2:15pm, a male was filmed by a group of community members pacing and standing guard over three small First Nations children, the youngest being 6 years old. This video footage went viral. These small children had their hands cable tied and were sitting outside in the 32 degree hot sun at a property. They were crying and visibly distressed, pleading to leave.

Greens portfolio holder for First Nations and Yamatji Noongar woman, Senator Dorinda Cox said:

“My heart is heavy today. This footage was disturbing and confronting. We can never be ok with watching children as young as 6 being humiliated, their tiny wrists being tied up and leaving them crying in the hot sun. Children are forever damaged by this type of behaviour. There is no justification for instilling terror into small children.

“As a mother, watching these children begging for their freedom and in fear was like watching a slow repeat of the historical racially based abuse experienced by previous generations of First Nations people. We have just acknowledged Survival and National Apology Day and yet we are confronted with scenes that demonstrate the harsh reality of racism faced by First Nations people every day. We must confront such footage in the spirit of truth telling, however confronting this is. This is how we heal and move forward.

“As a community, we all have a shared responsibility to rise above and challenge abuse, violence, racism and attitudes that encourage these behaviours towards children.

“My heartfelt thanks to the voices in the footage who were brave, loud and who said this behaviour towards small children was not acceptable and demonstrated the power of unity and community. I can only imagine how confronting and distressing this experience was for you, so thank you.

“We have sadly stood together before to stand against violence and abuse towards First Nation Children and I call upon WA police, all Australian politicians and the broader public to stand united and send out a clear message that we can never accept this happening to any child in our society, on our watch.

“Know that united we will continue to elevate the voices of First Nations people and the message that First nations children’s lives matter and that racism and violence will never be accepted. We can and must do better for future generations and those who have gone before us.”

PUBLIC PROPERTY DEVELOPER WOULD SAVE RENTERS AND FIRST HOME BUYERS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, UNDER GREENS PLAN

Today at the National Press Club, Greens spokesperson for Housing and Homelessness Max Chandler-Mather will announce the party’s first Federal Election policy, a public property developer that would see the federal government build homes and sell and rent them for below market prices helping renters and first home buyers. The public property developer would sit within a revived, dedicated Federal Department of Housing called the Federal Department of Sustainable Cities, Development and Housing.

Under the Greens plan, costed by the Parliamentary Budget Office, the public property developer would build 360,000 good quality homes over the next five years (610,000 homes over the decade), and sell and rent them for a big discount. Based on the PBO’s analysis, an average renter participating in the program would save $5,200 a year on rent (19% discount on market rent) and the average first home buyer participating in the program would save $260,000 on the cost of a home (33% discount on the median private market house), compared with average market prices.

The Greens plan will ensure that people’s right to a good quality public home is put ahead of developer profits. The public developer would sell the homes at just over the cost of construction to any first home buyer, while rents would be capped at 25% of household income.

Of these homes, 30% would be available to purchase and 70% would be available to rent. Unlike traditional public housing, the homes would be available to any renter or first home buyer, with 20% of the rentals allocated towards the bottom 20% of earners. The allocation would prioritise those with connection to the local area, including if they have children enrolled in local schools, work and support services connections, or if they are First Nations peoples.

By prioritising sustainable urban design, the Greens’ plan would help build a sense of local community, ensuring that people’s homes are at the centre of a community that they would like to live, work and relax in. The developer would prioritise good quality medium density developments, working with the new Federal Department to ensure the developments are integrated with local public transport, health and education infrastructure.

Work by the public developer would be informed by innovative projects such as the design principles of the Nightingale Model; this could include incorporating rooftop gardens, 8 star energy rating, and other design principles that save on construction costs, like removing basement carparks where developments are adjacent to public and active transport.

The net underlying cash balance cost to the budget would be $27.9 billion over the decade. By way of comparison the Federal Government spent $27 billion in rental deductions for property investors this year alone. After including construction and land costs, interest costs on debt and rental and sales income, the headline cash balance impact would be $285b over the decade.

Extract from today’s address to the National Press Club by Max Chandler-Mather MP, Greens Spokesperson for Housing and Homelessness:

The Greens will scrap the tax handouts for property investors and invest billions in building hundreds of thousands of good quality homes to be sold and rented at prices people can actually afford.

The Greens’ public developer would save an average renter participating in the program $5200 a year on their rent, and average first home buyer participating in the program $260,000 on the price of a home, by cutting out the profit margin and building good quality homes for people, the way governments used to.

Relying on private developers to tackle the housing crisis is like relying on Coles and Woolworths not to rip you off. They helped create the crisis in the first place, and have no interest in fixing it.

For decades now the government has left the supply of housing to private developers, and they have catastrophically failed, making massive profits while driving up the cost of housing by deliberately restricting supply, sitting on vacant homes and blocks of land approved for development.

Normally a private developer pockets a big profit, but the public developer would put that profit back in the pockets of renters and first home buyers in the form of lower house prices and rents.

Labor’s plan to tackle the housing crisis is to rely on profit hungry developers to build expensive homes no one can afford, and give billions of dollars in tax handouts to property investors, which deny millions of renters the chance to buy a home.

Labor is the party of tax handouts to property developers to build expensive penthouse apartments no one can afford. The Greens are the party for beautifully designed and well built homes at prices people actually afford.

Labor are the party of property investors and private developers. The Greens are the party for renters and first home buyers.

This plan would transform the lives of millions of people, whether it’s the single mum who is sleeping in her car, or the young couple who have given up on the dream of ever owning a home

LABOR FINALLY GETTING ON BOARD WITH THE GREENS POLICY TO PAY SUPER ON PPL

The Greens welcome Labor’s decision to finally get on board with the Greens’ policy to pay parents superannuation on paid parental leave (PPL).

The Greens have lobbied Labor consistently on this subject, and have seen our own amendments rejected to pay super on PPL, even after significant evidence was presented at the Work and Care Inquiry leading to super on PPL being a key recommendation of the Inquiry’s report.

Greens leader in the Senate and spokesperson on Women, Larissa Waters said:

“Once again, pressure works. The Greens have been calling for the government to put their money where their mouth is on gender equality and pay super on parental leave throughout this term of government and for many years before.

“We welcome this announcement, but why make women wait until 2025, when Labor has a paid parental leave bill before the Senate right now.

“Parental leave is the only leave entitlement paid without superannuation. Making people wait until after the next election to receive it is an outrage.

“Labor is still making people wait for super on PPL, for a replacement wage and for 12 months of paid parental leave – as recommended by their own Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce.

“Labor have been dragging their feet on all things PPL throughout their first term of government, and now they want women to wait until after the next federal election to get super paid on it.”

GREENS CALL AIRCRAFT NOISE REDUCTION TRIAL A ‘SHAM’, CALL FOR NEW TRIAL

Under questioning from Greens Senator Janet Rice, Airservices Australia have admitted their full runway trial to reduce noise over Brisbane residents was a sham.

Officials admitted that height markers used by pilots to calculate their climb trajectory were not increased during the trial, meaning that they had no reason to climb higher than they normally would, and this explains the lack of a noticeable difference in noise.

The trial involved the use of the full runway for all flights over the city, as opposed to standard practice where many flights begin takeoff already partway down the runway (known as an “intersection departure”). This allows more thrust to be used at takeoff and therefore a steeper climb, meaning aircraft are at a higher altitude when flying over residential areas.

The Greens have written to ASA requesting an explanation and new trial.

The Estimates transcript can be found here.

Elizabeth Watson-Brown, Greens spokesperson for Transport, Infrastructure and Sustainable Cities said:

“This confirms what we already suspected – the full runway trial at Brisbane Airport was set up to fail by Airservices Australia.

“Once again we’re seeing the absolute failure of Airservices Australia to put any meaningful effort into reducing noise over Brisbane residents’ homes.

“Given the whole point of the trial was to increase the height of the aircraft over the city, it is pure negligence to not increase the height markers.

“Airservices Australia should immediately order a new trial with increased height markers.

“Flight noise has disrupted Brisbane residents’ lives, and their physical and mental health, especially since the introduction of the new parallel runway in 2020. The least that government agencies like Airservices Australia can do is run these noise improvement trials properly.”

GENDER STRATEGY STILL MAKING WOMEN WAIT FOR EQUALITY

Today’s Gender Equality Strategy: Working for Women has finally been released, but as we have come to expect from this government, it’s big on flourish, short on detail and comes with unnecessarily long wait times.

Greens leader in the Senate and spokesperson on Women, Larissa Waters said:

“Women have been waiting for the Gender Equality Strategy since the election, and now women have to keep waiting for much of what’s in the strategy.

“We welcome Labor’s support for Greens’ policy to pay super on parental leave, but why make women wait until 2025, when there is a paid parental leave bill before the Senate right now.

“Labor has been dragging their feet on all things PPL throughout their first term of government, and now they want women to wait until after the next federal election to get super paid on PPL.

“The Greens would fast-track putting super on PPL through the parliament if the government want to give women this long overdue workplace right by 1 July this year.

“The strategy today was silent on the other much needed PPL reforms, also recommended by the WEET, for replacement wage and 12 months of PPL by 2030.

“We are pleased to see the Government heed the Greens’ call to stop subsidising discrimination, by making companies with over 500 employees ineligible for government contracts if they are not taking steps to close their gender pay gap, but this rule should apply to companies with 100+ employees, and to government grants not just contracts.

“Health is one of the strategy’s priority areas, but the Government response to the Senate inquiry into reproductive healthcare which I initiated is 7 months overdue, with no explanation for inaction. Meanwhile people are forced to travel hundreds of kilometres and spend hundreds of dollars to access surgical abortion.

“Labor’s 2019 election pledge for taxpayer-funded abortions to be offered in public hospitals was good policy; it’s disappointing they continue to back away from it. Abortion care is basic healthcare and it should be available at any public hospital, with no out-of-pocket costs.

“The strategy also focuses on ending violence against women, but in estimates last May the Government confirmed that funding to end violence against women and children is less than half the $1 billion each year the women’s safety sector says is needed.

“Violence against women and children has not reduced since the first National Plan to end it 12 years ago. Labor must provide the funds required for the National Plan to succeed, or they risk squandering another 10 years, and more women’s lives.”

Greens spokesperson on employment Senator Barbara Pocock said:

“It’s great to see the Minister for Women adopting the Greens policy of super on Paid Parental leave. But as usual Labor’s gender equality plan is too little too late.

“One-third of the gender pay gap is attributed to time spent caring for family and interruptions to full-time employment. The Government knows this is a key factor in women’s inequality, yet their response fails to adequately address this.

“We need to demolish barriers to women participating equally in the workforce by introducing free childcare, a minimum of 12 months paid parental leave now, not after the next election, and we need workplace policies that encourage men to take on more of the unpaid work that women do, like caring for children, elderly and disabled family members, and household duties.

“We heard plenty of evidence at the Work and Care Inquiry, which I chaired, that predicts huge economic benefits through raising women’s participation in the workforce. In fact, if women’s participation matched that of men, GDP would increase by almost 9%. That’s an extra $30 billion added to our economy by 2050.”