KATE THWAITES, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SECURITY, AGEING AND WOMEN: Well, today we have good news around the gender pay gap. It is closing, but of course, it is still large. It is closing as a result of the work this Government is doing. Particularly the work we are doing to support women in low-paid highly feminised industries - in our caring industries, like aged care and early childhood education. I'm really proud that Labor is supporting these women, and we know that closing the gender pay gap is good for Australian women, it's good for Australian families, but it's also good for Australian businesses and for our overall productivity, so this is a good story.
There is, of course, more to be done. Today, we are introducing new laws that will require big companies to set gender equality targets. They will have to choose from things like improving the gender makeup of their boards, improving their Paid Parental Leave programs; all the things that we know help make workplaces a better place for women and more equal for women.
We'll put those laws in, and those companies will have to set and achieve those targets. If they don't achieve those targets, they will be found non-compliant, and they won't be eligible for government work. This is us being serious about making sure we are supporting Australian women, that we're closing gender pay gap and that we're doing the work that we know is good for our country as a whole.
Of course, we also know that if Peter Dutton was in charge, Australian women would be worse off. If the gender pay gap was still closing at the rate it was under Peter Dutton, Scott Morrison and the Liberals, Australian women would be almost $1,900 a year worse off than they are under Labor. That is a significant difference.
Peter Dutton has said no to so many of Labor's policies that support Australian women. Now he's saying no to fee-free TAFE as well, and we know that is good for Australian women.
Women will always be better off under Labor. Australian women can't trust Peter Dutton.