SENATOR KATY GALLAGHER, MINISTER FOR FINANCE AND WOMEN: Great so thanks everyone for coming. We're on the eve of another sitting week, so it's going to be an important week for the parliament. We've got significant pieces of legislation, like the CFMEU legislation, the administration act to put them into administration. We've got the NDIS Bill before the parliament as well, again, a very important bill to make sure that we're ensuring that the NDIS is sustainable over time, and both of those bills really do need to be dealt with very promptly.

One of my favourite parts of the working day is picking up my three-year-old son, Gilbert, from childcare. He is so eager to tell me about who he played with, what he ate (or didn’t), which books he read and the letters and numbers he learned.

I am so grateful to the educators who make all this happen for him. They are trusted partners in my son’s development, helping him navigate the politics of the playground and instilling a love of learning.

New data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows the national gender pay gap is the lowest on record - today falling to 11.5 per cent from 12 per cent in November 2023, and 14.1 per cent in May 2022. Under the Albanese Government, women’s average weekly earnings have increased $173.80 a week since May 2022.

Labor came to government in 2022 with a commitment to drive action to close the gender pay gap. Since then, we have seen the gender pay gap drop to all-time lows over four consecutive reporting cycles.

The Government is taking decisive action to ensure accountability of former senior public service leaders following the Robodebt Royal Commission.

The APS Commissioner was close to finalising investigations into former agency heads regarding their conduct on Robodebt. However, before the investigations could be concluded, some former agency heads argued that alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct by former Agency Heads could not be investigated in the absence of express provisions in the Public Service Act 1999.

TOM CONNELL, HOST: Well, we've had sitting here listening to that, not nodding. I wouldn't say that, but Patrick Gorman - 

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: - listening carefully.

CONNELL: - He's the Assistant Minister for about six things - I can't remember all of them. Why do you think Labor's primary right now is so low in every published opinion poll? 

SHANNON ‘PINKY’ NEVEN, HOST: The news coming through at the end of last week regarding early childhood educators, getting a 15 percent wage increase. Can you talk us through that, please?

MURRAY JONES, HOST: Well, it's come up in just the last couple of days, a pay increase for people in the child care sector. Now, of course, a bit of a follow-on from some reforms recently, cheaper child care, which is of course so important to keep our economy turning. But most importantly, when it comes to ensuring the kids are getting a good basis before they start their more formal aspect of their education. Keen to talk a little bit more about that. My special guest this morning, the federal member for Jagajaga.

GREG JENNETT, HOST: It's a story we've been following closely today but the Government will have something of a fight on its hands with the CFMEU and the opposition, and are on the way to legislating an administrator to the CFMEU. I spoke to Assistant Minister for Social Security and Women Kate Thwaites earlier. Kate Thwaites, it is great to have you back with us now as an Assistant Minister. I should say congratulations right off the top and I will do that with the promise to come to some of your assistant minister portfolio responsibilities in just a moment.

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: Thanks for joining us here at Kyilla Markets. Kyilla Community Markets is much loved by my community of Perth, and every Saturday morning, you see families here out doing what they love to spending time together. And you see lots of little kids who, throughout the week, are spending their time in early childhood education, but on the weekend, they get to come here and spend time with a petting zoo, with their family and friends.

SENATOR THE HON KATY GALLAGHER, MINISTER FOR WOMEN: Well, thanks for coming, everyone. It's great to be here at Kirinari Child Care Centre in Canberra for this important announcement that was made yesterday. I mean, we have known for some time that early childhood educators have been undervalued and underpaid. And we wanted to change that. So, we've made a provision in our budget.