Six “urgent” actions the government can take to support women in the 2023 federal budget

Minister for finance, women and the public service Katy Gallagher said she is considering recommendations to enhance women’s economic equality for the May 2023-24 Budget, with a caution that any measures adopted would need to be responsible.

Special advice prepared by the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce was handed to the government late last month. In it, the expert group highlighted 2022 research by Deloitte that showed a potential $128 billion economic benefit to the Australian economy that could be unlocked if gender norms driving inequality in Australia could be done away with.

“This results in women’s economic participation across her lifetime being less visible, valued, self-determined, secure and safe, which is reflected in economic data — lower savings, lower incomes, less job security, lower super balances, lower wealth creation, lower advancement,” the taskforce advice read.

Six gender-responsive “urgent” targeted actions have been recommended by the taskforce and will form what the group of experts suggest will be an economic reform pathway to improve gender equality in Australia.

The group wants to see two policies abolished — the childcare subsidy activity test and the Parents Next program — and the reinvestment in a new evidence-based program co-designed with young parents.

The taskforce also suggested reinstating the parenting payment for single women with children who are over eight years of age, arguing that the program more appropriately classifies single mothers as doing parenting work rather than as being unemployed.

Primary carers on paid parental leave should be entitled to superannuation payments, the group added.

For women struggling with affordable and safe housing options, the task force recommended the government increase the rate of commonwealth rental assistance.

And, the government should also make an interim pay-rise investment for all early childhood educators and aged care workers.

“[This should be done] in recognition of the historical undervaluation of their work and the urgent need to retain and attract workers to the sector,” the taskforce said of childhood and aged care workers.

In a statement on Monday, senator Gallagher welcomed the recommendations but warned any items that would be considered for inclusion in the Budget would be evaluated on the basis of what was responsible given the “tight fiscal environment”.

“I thank them for their effort in reaching out to women around Australia, as well as drawing on their own significant and credible expertise and experience to inform this advice,” the minister said.

“The investments we make to drive gender equality in this budget will be built upon in subsequent Budgets, in the same way that we are already building on the over $7 billion investment made in the October Budget to make child care cheaper, boost paid parental leave and support women’s safety.”

Sam Mostyn leads the 13-member independent taskforce, which has been appointed for an initial six months. The taskforce’s four broad objectives are: to drive women’s economic equality as an economic imperative; inform the National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality; provide strategic advice on key issues arising from the Jobs and Skills Summit, including via the white paper; and offer strategic advice on the further implementation of gender-responsive policy and budgeting processes.

The taskforce’s latest advice to the minister turns its mind to short and long-term measures and deals with tackling gender norms affecting social and economic systems.

The group told the minister that an effective architecture for achieving a “sophisticated, fit-for-purpose economy” that drove gender equality would be a multi-decadal undertaking and could not be solved by any one Budget or term of government.

“The taskforce’s strong view is that economic equality for women will only be achieved through courageous and urgent action in the short term, underpinned by a series of structural reforms that can build fairer, inclusive and stronger systems that enable equal economic participation across a life course for women and men,” the advice read.

“The Commonwealth can use its significant influence to steward and advocate with State and Territory governments to embed gender equality into policies and processes of all governments, and influence all actors across the Australian economy,” it added.

Gallagher noted that the establishment of the taskforce delivered on an election commitment to prioritise advice about the many issues women face participating in the Australian economy.

“We are considering the taskforce’s recommendations in the context of the 2023-24 Budget,” she said.

In addition to the six Budget priorities, the taskforce proposed a series of non-financial measures to drive immediate action. This includes developing a gender-responsive capability across the APS.

“Australian women want to believe the government’s commitment to gender equality is real, but until they see evidence of material change that centres their needs and stops the compounding disadvantage that accrues to them, they will retain a healthy scepticism,” the advice said.

“The taskforce, on behalf of Australian women, are asking the government to have the courage to join us, trust us and respect us enough to embark on this journey of repair, reform, and renewal.”

Additional advice that looks to the National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality will be finalised by the taskforce and shared with the government later in 2023.

This article was first published by The Mandarin.