❓ Ms Tonkin questions the Minister for Industrial Relations on how the government's $46.1 million investment in superannuation payments on unpaid parental leave will close the superannuation gap for women and improve their economic security in retirement. The Minister responds by highlighting the government's commitment to gender equality and the positive impact of the initiative.
AnsweredQoN 120Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PUBLIC SECTOR — UNPAID PARENTAL LEAVE —
SUPERANNUATION PAYMENTS
120. Ms C.M. TONKIN to the Minister for Industrial
Relations:
I
refer to the extension of superannuation payments on unpaid parental leave up
to 24 weeks for all Western Australian public sector employees.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this $46.1 million investment by the Cook
Labor government will help to close the gap in superannuation for women working
in the public sector?
(2) Can the minister advise the house how this
initiative will improve women's economic security in retirement?
SUPERANNUATION PAYMENTS
120. Ms C.M. TONKIN to the Minister for Industrial
Relations:
I
refer to the extension of superannuation payments on unpaid parental leave up
to 24 weeks for all Western Australian public sector employees.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this $46.1 million investment by the Cook
Labor government will help to close the gap in superannuation for women working
in the public sector?
(2) Can the minister advise the house how this
initiative will improve women's economic security in retirement?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for this question and the lifelong commitment she has had to
gender equality and improving outcomes for women. Of course, we have just come
out of International Women's Day on 8 March. I do not think anyone in
this house or publicly would disagree that we need better outcomes for women
and girls in our community. We want to improve gender equality. But it is one
thing to talk about that and say that is what we want; it is another thing to
do something about it. That is why I am so pleased and proud to be part of a government
that has worked very hard since 2017 to improve gender equality for women and
girls in our community. The joint announcement that the member referred to is a
very good example of that. I thank the Treasurer for this announcement, made in
conjunction with the Premier, the Minister
for Women's Interests and myself as the Minister for Industrial
Relations to pay superannuation on
unpaid parental leave up to 24 weeks. This entitlement will be paid from 1 July
this year. This condition has applied
to some workers in the public sector, but by no means all. This announcement is
a $46.1 million commitment—a significant commitment—to pay
superannuation on unpaid parental leave up to 24 weeks.
The gender pay gap on women's
retirement incomes has been too wide for too long. We need practical measures
to narrow that retirement pay gap, and that is exactly what this announcement
will do, for what is obviously a big employer of women in Western Australia.
The state government is the largest employer of
women in Western Australia, and I think just over 70 per cent of employees
across our public sector are women, so this is a significant investment and
move. It is important for a number of reasons. It is a practical measure
that will make a difference to real working families—not just women,
but families who are working in the public sector. It will pay superannuation
on unpaid parental leave. Also, as a big employer, it sends a message to the
private sector—all those employers out there who are not paying
superannuation on unpaid parental leave—that they really need to step
up. Parental leave is like any other entitlement and superannuation should be
paid on that entitlement. It sends a message to private sector employers as
well. It also sends a message to young families that the public sector is a modern
employer, and we want people to come and work with us. We should be an employer
of choice; we want people to stay here and we value their contribution,
including when they have children. This measure does all those things, and I am
really proud of it.
As I said, we all know International
Women's Day. We wear purple; we go out and champion the work that is
being done. It is one thing to talk about that; it is another thing to actually
do something about it. Since we have been in government, we have done just
that. We have improved the number of women on government boards and committees;
we committed to have 50 per cent women and we have achieved that target. Of
course, we are doing the heavy lifting here in Parliament to achieve gender
equality here in this chamber, with the appointment of the Speaker and now 50 per
cent women in this chamber. We are doing all that work here in government as a Labor
Party, and I am very proud of that work. We are improving the number of women
in senior executive positions across government. We are doing all that work.
I want members to think about the
eight and a half years that the Liberal Party and Nationals WA were in
government before 2017 and name one thing that they did while they were in
government to improve the position for women in our state. I want members to
name one policy initiative that they put in place. I cannot think of one. It is
Labor that improves the outcomes for women in our community, and I am very
proud to be part of a Cook Labor government that is continuing to do just that.
The SPEAKER : The Leader of
the Opposition with the last question.
thank the member for this question and the lifelong commitment she has had to
gender equality and improving outcomes for women. Of course, we have just come
out of International Women's Day on 8 March. I do not think anyone in
this house or publicly would disagree that we need better outcomes for women
and girls in our community. We want to improve gender equality. But it is one
thing to talk about that and say that is what we want; it is another thing to
do something about it. That is why I am so pleased and proud to be part of a government
that has worked very hard since 2017 to improve gender equality for women and
girls in our community. The joint announcement that the member referred to is a
very good example of that. I thank the Treasurer for this announcement, made in
conjunction with the Premier, the Minister
for Women's Interests and myself as the Minister for Industrial
Relations to pay superannuation on
unpaid parental leave up to 24 weeks. This entitlement will be paid from 1 July
this year. This condition has applied
to some workers in the public sector, but by no means all. This announcement is
a $46.1 million commitment—a significant commitment—to pay
superannuation on unpaid parental leave up to 24 weeks.
The gender pay gap on women's
retirement incomes has been too wide for too long. We need practical measures
to narrow that retirement pay gap, and that is exactly what this announcement
will do, for what is obviously a big employer of women in Western Australia.
The state government is the largest employer of
women in Western Australia, and I think just over 70 per cent of employees
across our public sector are women, so this is a significant investment and
move. It is important for a number of reasons. It is a practical measure
that will make a difference to real working families—not just women,
but families who are working in the public sector. It will pay superannuation
on unpaid parental leave. Also, as a big employer, it sends a message to the
private sector—all those employers out there who are not paying
superannuation on unpaid parental leave—that they really need to step
up. Parental leave is like any other entitlement and superannuation should be
paid on that entitlement. It sends a message to private sector employers as
well. It also sends a message to young families that the public sector is a modern
employer, and we want people to come and work with us. We should be an employer
of choice; we want people to stay here and we value their contribution,
including when they have children. This measure does all those things, and I am
really proud of it.
As I said, we all know International
Women's Day. We wear purple; we go out and champion the work that is
being done. It is one thing to talk about that; it is another thing to actually
do something about it. Since we have been in government, we have done just
that. We have improved the number of women on government boards and committees;
we committed to have 50 per cent women and we have achieved that target. Of
course, we are doing the heavy lifting here in Parliament to achieve gender
equality here in this chamber, with the appointment of the Speaker and now 50 per
cent women in this chamber. We are doing all that work here in government as a Labor
Party, and I am very proud of that work. We are improving the number of women
in senior executive positions across government. We are doing all that work.
I want members to think about the
eight and a half years that the Liberal Party and Nationals WA were in
government before 2017 and name one thing that they did while they were in
government to improve the position for women in our state. I want members to
name one policy initiative that they put in place. I cannot think of one. It is
Labor that improves the outcomes for women in our community, and I am very
proud to be part of a Cook Labor government that is continuing to do just that.
The SPEAKER : The Leader of
the Opposition with the last question.
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