Pay Equity – Labor's Continued Hypocrisy Exposed
22/11/11
The Gillard Government's continued hypocrisy when it comes to its commitment to pay equity has been highlighted with recent figures from the CommSec Economic Insights Report showing that the gender wage gap is the biggest it has been in 28 years.
The Report shows that over the year to September, male wages outstripped female wages by $13,213 – the highest reading in records going back 28 years. The female wage is 82.1 per cent of the male wage – the smallest proportion in 25 years.
"This makes a complete mockery of the Government's continued claims that it is committed to ‘further reducing and ultimately eliminating the earnings gap between male and female workers’" Senator Cash said.
"The reality is that the wage gap is widening because the Gillard Labor Government, despite its rhetoric, just like the Rudd Labor Government, has no real policies to address wage equality."
"The Coalition believes that creating and maintaining a strong economy is the best way of providing financial security and prosperity to women. The Coalition has a proud record of strong economic management. Under Labor a strong economy is a distant memory. This is a Government that when it comes to strict fiscal discipline has failed Australian people" Senator Cash said.
Another example of Labor's disingenuousness regarding pay equity is its failure to include superannuation in its Paid Parental Leave (PPL) Scheme.
"Including superannuation in a PPL Scheme is an important step in addressing the chronic disparity between male and female retirement incomes. Labor's PPL Scheme fails on this account" Senator Cash said. "The Coalition’s PPL Scheme does include superannuation and is a prime example of its commitment to pay equity".
"Labor’s agenda when it comes to reducing the gender wage gap, when judged against the reality of Labor's failure to include superannuation in its PPL scheme and the CommSec statistics, is exposed as being all spin and no substance" Senator Cash said.
CommSec Report (PDF)