JOBS AND ECONOMIC SECURITY

Since 2013, 1.9 million jobs have been created. Around 60% of these have gone to women.

Female workforce participation is around record highs at 62.2% (compared to 58.7% when we came to government).

The gender pay gap now sits at 13.8% - down from 17.4% under the previous Labor government.

Challenges remain in rebuilding our economy and creating more jobs for all Australians, including women.

The 2022-23 $2.1 billion Women’s Budget Statement includes $1.3 billion to drive change for women’s safety, and additional funding to increase women’s workforce participation, support women in leadership, and improve health outcomes for women and girls in Australia.

This builds on the Morrison Government’s landmark $3.4 billion 2021-22 Women’s Budget Statement, and the 2018 and 2020 Women’s Economic Security Statements.

Our focus continues on the five key priorities of:

  • Repairing and rebuilding women’s workforce participation and further closing the gender pay gap.
  • Greater choice and flexibility for families to manage work and care.
  • Supporting women as leaders and positive role models.
  • Responding to the diverse needs of women.
  • Supporting women to be safe at work and home.

The Morrison Government has also removed the $450 per month minimum threshold for the superannuation guarantee - improving the economic security in retirement of around 200,000 women.

ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE

Under Labor, child care fees increased 53% over six years.

Since we came into Government, there are 280,000 more children in childcare and support for families has reached record levels - $11 billion in 2022-23, up from $6.2 billion in 2013‑14.

This increased investment improves child care access and affordability for more than 1.3 million children and their families.

This helps families, particularly women who want to return to work or work more. Women’s workforce participation has reached a record high (62.2% in March 2022).

The child care system is targeted, with those who earn the least receiving the highest level of subsidy. Those who work, train or study the most get the most support.

Approximately 90% of families using approved child care are eligible for a Child Care Subsidy of between 50% and 85%.

The average out-of-pocket cost for children using Centre Based Day Care is still 12.5 per cent lower than when we reformed the child care system in July 2018 ($4.26 an hour in June 2021, down from $4.87 in June 2018).

We’re investing even more in affordable and accessible child care reforms to complement the Child Care Subsidy:

  • We have increased the Subsidy by 30% for second and subsequent children in a family aged five or under in child care, up to a maximum rate of 95%. This is aimed at helping families when the costs really add up – with two or more children before school age.
  • We have removed the annual Subsidy cap of $10,655 for families earning over $190,015 so that no family has an annual cap on their subsidies.

These changes mean 250,000 families across Australia will be on average $2,260 a year better off. Around 50% of eligible families will receive the maximum 95% subsidy for their second or third child in care.

It is estimated these changes will result in around 40,000 mums or dads being able to work an extra day per week.

Information about fees, vacancies, and quality ratings, and an easy to use fees estimator is available at: www.startingblocks.gov.au

MORE FLEXIBLE PARENTAL LEAVE

The Morrison Government is enhancing Paid Parental Leave so families have more choice and flexibility to manage work and care.

Working parents can now share up to 20 weeks of Government funded fully flexible leave.

For the first time, both parents will be able to access paid leave from their employer as well as the Government Paid Parental Leave scheme for the combined 20 weeks, providing further incentive for more dads and partners to take parental leave.

Single parents also benefit with an additional two weeks leave.

We are also introducing a household income eligibility test ($350,000), in addition to the existing primary carer income test ($151,350), to ensure more families are eligible for paid parental leave. This will particularly support women who are the primary earner and do not currently have access to employer funded parental leave.

This is important because the number of women with a taxable income of more than $150,000 has more than doubled between 2010-11 and 2017-18. At least 2,200 previously ineligible families will now gain access to Paid Parental Leave.

Since the Paid Parental Leave scheme was introduced, more than 1.7 million people have received Parental Leave Pay and an additional 750,000 people have received Dad and Partner Pay.

We have also extended the work test rules so more women are eligible for government funded Parental Leave Pay.

WOMEN’S SAFETY

The Morrison Government continues to provide significant funding support to keep women and children safe – at home, at work, in the community and online.

The 2022 Budget invests a further $1.3 billion to respond to violence against women and their children.

This brings our total investment for the first five years of the next National Plan to End Violence against Women and their Children to more than $2.5 billion. The next National Plan will commence mid-2022.

Funding in this Budget is based on the four pillars of the next National Plan: prevention, early intervention, response and recovery.

Our investment in women’s safety is now over $3.5 billion since 2013.

Tackling sexual harassment in the workplace is central to advancing both women’s safety and economic security. 43 of 55 recommendations of the Respect@Work Report are fully implemented and/or fully funded with over $70 million committed. Work is underway on all of the recommendations.

To tackle online abuse, we have expanded the role of the e-Safety Commissioner. This office now also takes responsibility for online safety issues affecting adults, including image-based abuse. In this year’s Women’s Budget Statement, we committed a further $16.6 million for a new telephone service to provide support for women and children experiencing technology-facilitated abuse.

WOMEN’S HEALTH

A re-elected Morrison Government will invest over $53 million to make it easier for more Australians to become parents and to support the mental health of new parents.

As part of this investment from 1 November 2022, the Morrison Government will subsidise the costs of storage of eggs, sperm or embryos for Australians who are wanting to have a child through IVF and who have cancer or are at risk of passing on genetic diseases. This will assist 6,200 Australians per year, saving them approximately $600 per year.

We will also provide $25 million to fund 20 new Gidget Foundation Australia perinatal mental health and wellbeing services in every state and territory, to make sure new mums and dads have access to the mental health support they need.

Information current as at May 2022