The Albanese Labor Government has released a 10-year National Strategy to improve food security in remote First Nations communities and increase access to affordable and nutritious food.

The National Strategy has been developed in partnership with State and Territory Governments, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community-Controlled Health Organisations and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

SENATOR THE HON KATY GALLAGHER, MINISTER FOR WOMEN: It’s lovely to be here with Mary Wooldridge, the Chief Executive Officer of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency and before I begin, I’d like to thank Mary and her team for the extraordinary amount of work that goes into these big publications of data. As you will have seen in the briefings you’ve had and the release today, this is a significant release of data about what’s going on in Australian workplaces and in particular what’s going on in relation to addressing the gender pay gap.

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency has today published individual employer gender pay gaps for the second time, showing improvements on last year’s results.

The new data covers 7,800 individual employers and 1,700 corporate groups, with over half improving their gender pay gap compared to last year.

Despite this positive progress, half of all employers still pay men over 12 per cent more than women and, nationally, women still earn an average of $28,425 per annum less.

TOM CONNELL, HOST: We're almost there, aren't we? An election campaign -  we think we're on the cusp of it. Joining me now, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Patrick Gorman and former Liberal MP Jason Falinski, who this time, can just watch on. Are you feeling more relaxed, Jason? Or is FOMO kicking in right now?

JASON FALINSKI, FORMER LIBERAL MP: Definitely FOMO, Tom. I'm missing the cut and thrust of it all, I have to admit.

The Albanese Labor Government has driven significant, and overdue, progress in women’s equality, including:

The Australian Government is continuing to support our valued defence and veteran families, with applications now open for a leadership development program designed for spouses.

The Women in Leadership Development program will be delivered by the Families of Veterans Guild and support its new “Rise Together Initiative”, which aims to build the career confidence of defence and veteran partners. The program will empower defence and veteran spouses to kickstart their leadership journey with tailored support, including workshops and coaching.

ARABELLA GIBSON, GIDGET FOUNDATION AUSTRALIA CEO: First of all, I’d like to thank Senator Gallagher for hosting us today here at the Centenary Hospital. I’d also like to thank David Smith, the Member for Bean, for supporting the Gidget Foundation in our efforts, and also our lived experience advocate and beautiful Gidget angel, Kate Brow, who joins us today as well to share her lived experience story and her journey of perinatal depression and anxiety. The Gidget Foundation began 24 years ago through great tragedy.

The Albanese and Minns Labor Governments are investing $4.76 million to partner with, and build the capability of, Aboriginal Community Controlled (ACC) Registered Training Organisations (RTOs).

Access to education can transform lives, and by working in partnership with First Nations people we will achieve better training outcomes.  

This investment is the first stage of a collaboration between the two governments which will see up to $104.6 million in funding invested in NSW over five years under the National Skills Agreement’s Closing the Gap initiative.

Young people in North Brisbane and Moreton Bay will now have access to a new mental health service, focused on supporting local First Nations people. 

Staying Deadly | headspace Deception Bay will meet the growing need for mental health support in the region, while providing culturally safe support, care and connection for First Nations teens and young adults. 

The new service will be located on the lands of the Kabi Kabi people at 665 Deception Bay Rd, Deception Bay.

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: I'm Patrick Gorman, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Assistant Minister for the Public Service. It is great to be here in Launceston with Jess Teesdale, our excellent candidate for Bass. Jess has got a fantastic story as a teacher, someone who's actually trying to really hand down skills and opportunity to the next generation. And that's what she now wants to do as part of the Albanese Labor team. Handing down skills and opportunity to the next generation.