Motions

Gender Equality

S.E. ANDREWS (Gibson) (10:57): I move:

That this house—

(a) notes that gender inequality continues to exist in Australia and notes that addressing this inequality is integral to our economy and in every aspect of our state's community life;

(b) notes that the South Australian gender pay gap was reported at 6.7 per cent in May 2023 across full time, adult, ordinary time earnings;

(c) notes that women's employment was disproportionately affected by COVID-19 as work in hospitality, events and the arts disappeared;

(d) congratulates the Malinauskas Labor government for establishing the South Australian Gender Pay Gap Taskforce to provide independent advice to the Minister for Women and South Australian government on issues related to the gender pay gap; and

(e) commits to doing whatever it can to—

(i) address the prevalence of women engaged in insecure work, including in casual and part-time employment and through labour hire companies, by strengthening labour hire, wage theft and other industrial legislation;

(ii) ensure legislation and government policy is inclusive and enables equality of opportunity; and

(iii) ensure equal representation across government boards.

In South Australia, as it is everywhere, gender inequality is the key driver of disadvantage for women. It affects women's economic equality and participation, women's safety and their ability to determine their own future. Our Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence—my friend, Katrina Hildyard—and the Office for Women established the South Australian Gender Pay Gap Taskforce in September 2022. The task force is a statewide multistakeholder panel of experts in the fields of gender equality and industrial relations that will conclude later this year. I am proud to chair this task force, taking over from the dedicated and passionate Hon. Irene Pnevmatikos in November last year.

The task force has four main roles, including the identification of the specific issues leading to the gender pay gap in South Australia, consulting with subject matter experts and diverse cohorts to understand their experience of the gender pay gap and to ensure an intersectional response. During 2023, the task force undertook statewide research in consultation with organisations that have demonstrated best practice and progress towards achieving gender equality in their workplaces. Additionally, it contacted over 60 peak bodies and conducted 15 interviews with a diverse range of South Australian peak bodies and organisations that had undertaken or were implementing initiatives to address the drivers of gender inequality in their organisation, profession or industry.

In April 2024, we released our interim report which identifies four focus areas to address the gender pay gap in South Australia informed by insights gained from interviews, desktop research and task force members' experience and deliberations. These four areas are: drivers of the gender pay gap, needs of South Australian organisations, effective policies and practices and additional research. Based on the findings of the interim report, we will deliver a final report with recommendations towards the end of 2024, focused on three key areas, including opportunities to bring together research and practical expertise and lead evidence-based initiatives, support for small and medium-sized businesses to address the gender pay gap and opportunities to reduce the gender pay gap in the public sector.

We cannot be complacent about the impacts of the gender pay gap on women's lives. Closing the gender pay gap goes beyond just ensuring equal pay. Closing the gender pay gap requires systemic and cultural change to remove the barriers to the full and equal participation of women in the workforce and broader society. Undervaluing the work of women must stop and, while government has a role, we need to acknowledge as a community that we all have a responsibility to value women. We will be closely monitoring the pay gap and making positive change to close it. The task force is not only an important step towards closing the gender pay gap in South Australia but also a key step to securing women's financial security throughout their lives and achieving gender equality in the future.

Our government has also reinstated the Women in Sport Taskforce to advise the government on issues that prevent women and girls participating fully in their sporting passions. Our progressive government has also funded a $4 million Women in Business Program that is providing a suite of programs that is made available to South Australian female-owned businesses.

The state government outlined last year our key initiatives to improve gender equality in South Australia, with the Women's Equality Blueprint 2023-26. The blueprint highlights the current government's significant gender equality initiatives to help to achieve equality for women and girls and address issues which inhibit women and girls from equally participating in our community. It outlines four priority focus areas, which will be addressed to support women's wellbeing and enable all women in South Australia to prosper. These are the focus areas:

women's safety and security, including criminalising coercive control and making electronic monitoring a condition of bail for people charged with particular family and domestic violence offences. We have also announced the Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, chaired by Natasha Stott Despoja AO;

leadership and participation, including ensuring all state government boards comprise 50 per cent women and holding a women's leadership symposium in conjunction with the FIFA Women's World Cup in Adelaide in August 2023—and what are World Cup that was. It was great to have some of the world's best football players in Adelaide and a huge gathering of supporters;

economic wellbeing, such as the already established Women in Business Program and Housing Security for Older Women Taskforce, as well as exploring the possibility of extending portable long service leave to the arts and creative sectors; and

women's health, including extending support for free sanitary products in public schools.

The blueprint also describes how the state government will seek to realise its vision of making South Australia a fair and inclusive state, in which everyone can equally and actively participate in the economy and in all aspects of community life. These commitments will ensure that South Australian women and girls can build financially stable futures and are empowered to equally participate in all aspects of the community.

Late last year we witnessed one of the worst times as a state and as a nation, a time which culminated in the deaths of four women in the space of a week. Sadly, we know the terrible fact that on average one woman every four days is murdered across the country. One in four women have experienced physical or sexual violence since the age of 15. One in four women has experienced emotional abuse by a current or former partner. Nationally, an estimated 44 per cent of Australian young people have been exposed to domestic violence with serious consequences for their health and wellbeing across their lifetimes. We know these shocking rates of violence are even higher for certain groups, particularly those facing intersectional barriers.

Our government is committed to do all we can to prevent violence before it starts, to tackle perpetrator behaviour, to respond in ways that support women at their hardest moments to help them to recover and heal, and to absolutely tackle the gender inequality that drives violence against women by increasing women's economic wellbeing and participation in every aspect of community life. A royal commission into domestic family and sexual violence will play an integral role in ensuring we have the evidence base to drive change.

Despite the fact that girls and women are making up 53 per cent of SACE subject enrolments, they are dramatically under-represented in business, enterprise and technology. Specialist mathematics has 28 per cent of women and physics has only 24 per cent of women, again demonstrating the way in which gender norms influence behaviour and ultimately result in gender segregation in job type.

Women returning to work after a break do so in lower paid roles and across the first five years of parenting their first child women's earnings are reduced by 55 per cent on average. During the same period men's earnings remain unaffected. These issues are not well understood with many still reporting they do not understand the concept of the gender pay gap, nor how to analyse and address theirs. An important step to address this is through shining the light on the prevalence of gender inequality across industries and sectors.

Earlier this year, the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) for the first time published gender pay gaps for private sector employers with 100 or more employees. The WGEA data release reveals the gender pay gaps for nearly 5,000 Australian employers, including 327 South Australian organisations. The data shows that 62 per cent of median employer gender pay gaps are over 5 per cent. The public release of gender pay gaps has been shown to be a useful tool in reducing pay gaps in the United Kingdom and we anticipate that we will see a similar effect here in Australia.

Our state is experiencing strong economic growth and we know that we must continue to build and develop the state's workforce to meet the state's economic ambitions. Growing and sustaining the supply of skilled workers is essential to addressing our key labour market challenges. This includes increasing women's participation in the workforce by unlocking barriers and pursuing opportunities that enable this to happen.

Our state government's commitment to an early years reform will not only improve child development outcomes but will also increase opportunities for women to participate in the workforce. Additionally, we are focused on increasing women's representation across decision-making bodies, including government boards and sporting bodies. We are also growing and supporting the participation of women and girls in sport on and off the field.

When working to end gender inequality we recognise this is not a women's issue, it is everyone's issue. Ending violence against women and achieving gender equality requires the collective effort of us all—governments, community, business and the not-for-profit sector—to dismantle systemic inequalities and foster environments where every individual, regardless of gender, can thrive.

Ms PRATT (Frome) (11:10): I move to amend the motion as follows:

Delete original paragraph (d) and insert new paragraph (d):

(d) commends the Marshall Liberal government on its achievements in addressing the gender pay gap in South Australia;

In rising to speak to this motion brought by the member for Gibson, I thank her for bringing attention and interest to the issue of the gender pay gap. As the Liberal spokeswoman on this topic today, it is certainly critical that this house understands the significance of addressing the gender pay gap in South Australia.

Women are fundamental to South Australia's future, there is no doubt. The gender pay gap difference in Australia denotes a significant disparity between women's and men's weekly earnings. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Workplace Gender Equality Agency shows a preference for men in all industries. The national pay gap has ranged between 12 per cent and 19 per cent, which is the lowest in 20 years. As of February 2024 the national gender pay gap is 12 per cent, as calculated by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency. The ABS reports that the gender pay gap in South Australia is 9.2 per cent as of November 2023.

This percentage of the gender pay gap is far more than a mere percentage, it is also an indication that the Labor government bringing this motion must continue to act to ensure this percentage continues to drop. The ABS also reports that as of November last year, men earned $1,982.80 per week while women earned $1,744.80. This disparity is influenced by factors like sex discrimination, industrial and occupational segregation, years out of the workforce, age and part-time employment which can amount to $12,376 annually. For every dollar men earned, on average, women earned 88¢. That is $238 less than men each week; over a year, this difference certainly adds up to that $12,376.

The current South Australian gender pay gap rate clearly also reflects the accomplishment of the former Liberal government. Not only did the Marshall Liberal government deliver record numbers of women in jobs but when we were in government we also released a women's strategy to drive women and girls to live, study and work in this state. The South Australian Women's Leadership and Economic Security Strategy 2021-2024 aimed to ensure that South Australian women have equal opportunities to contribute to, and benefit from, employment, entrepreneurship, leadership and economic security.

I take this opportunity with great delight to reflect on the outstanding women within my own electorate with whom I continue to associate, and new women I continue to meet, who are really punching through the glass ceiling when it comes to those factors of delivering jobs, building the workforce, entrepreneurship, leadership and economic security.

I always risk leaving out fantastic people, but the opportunity to recognise women from across my electorate is too good to refuse. As I walk us through the fabulous electorate of Frome, from Two Wells to Terowie, I note that Emily Riggs, based in Burra, has been focused on R&D and retail. When it comes to food and wine, you cannot go past Ali Paulett at Polish Hill River and Steph Toole in Auburn with Mount Horrocks Wines. Flosski Studio and Felicity's Auburn is also a true vintage entrepreneur in retail. Merrilyn Williams from Clare and Rachael Bombardieri from Two Wells have their focus on floristry and retail.

Sue Pratt is a leader in education when it comes to teaching the agricultural curriculum and is now seconded to the department. Giedre Budrius is a fantastic friend of mine, an extraordinary woman, and I do not do her any justice to say that her entrepreneurship in communications technology and social media has no peer. Paulie Calaby is another great friend, working across Clare and Brinkworth districts, with a focus on education and environment. Katherine Nugent is just a deadset legend, with a background in law and education, a volunteer and an entrepreneur in food and wine.

I give a shout-out to Dr Lisa Beament, who is marking 35 years of service as a practising GP in rural South Australia. She is based in Clare, and I thank her for the work that she does. There is Mel Sparks in retail, with her fantastic Depot on Irvine in Jamestown. To round it out, there is Katharine Crane in creative media, based in Kapunda, and Amanda Keller, in retail in Eudunda. I am so fortunate that I get to meet these wonderful women every single day I am in my electorate. They are examples of what opportunity through investing in women's entrepreneurship and leadership can look like.

This Liberal strategy that I touched on acknowledged the potential to close the gender pay gap by addressing barriers, supporting women in their professions and empowering them to drive their future. This strategy has set the foundations for where we are today, a reflection of the former Liberal government's commitment to women and girls in South Australia. All South Australian girls and women should have equal opportunities in this state. It really should not need to be said out loud.

We know that progress towards pay equity between men and women in the Australian economy stalled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our strategy sought to empower women and girls to achieve financial security and become leaders in the South Australian economy. It looked to the jobs of the future to ensure women were at the forefront of these industries. It sought to bridge the gender pay gap by promoting emerging career paths like space, defence and construction for young girls. We set out to improve access to all occupations and industries, regardless of gender.

It also recognised that women in regional and rural South Australia face distinct economic opportunities but also challenges, the tyranny of distance and network connectivity being some of them. It is critical that the Malinauskas government does not stall now on the progress made by the former Liberal government, ensuring that pathways for women in these industries of the future continue, in particular STEM and STEAM. When we think about the arts being added to science, technology, engineering and maths and understand the creative thinking that is required to solve and identify particular problems in those technical areas of engineering and maths, then the arts are definitely the companion piece in that factor.

Our strategy also identified the importance of supporting the economic security of older women. Women over 55 have been recognised as the fastest growing group of homeless people in Australia. The Malinauskas government has inherited a significant framework upon which to build women's economic empowerment in this state.

However, this will not stop the Liberal opposition or myself from continuing to advocate for South Australian girls and women. We want to continue to see barriers removed so that gender equality can be achieved. I commend the motion and, in addition, I commend the opposition's amendment to the motion.

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (11:19): May I just thank the member for Gibson and also the member for Frome in speaking to the motion and then obviously to the amendments that are coming forth. I can understand why both, coming from Labor and from the Liberal opposition, hold a different aspect in this motion.

May I provide some clarity here: there are some really good points in this motion to protect workers in terms of gender and about what the future will look like, whether you are a woman entering the workforce or whether you are a male entering the workforce. What seems to be missing here is that no-one really comes out and admits that, if you go through the national awards and you look at pay rates and experience and education basis, not one award says that if you are a female you will be paid less. Not one award says that if you are a female you are not as worthy as a male. This is what really gets missed in all this sort of banter in regard to the difference between women and females in the workforce and males and men in the workforce.

I have asked questions regarding this. Where does this 6.7 per cent difference really come from and why does it exist? Apparently, it exists because of the white-collar corporate world. The problem with the white-collar corporate world in Australia is that there is no real award that actually exists at all. They are a rule unto themselves; they are a law and an award unto themselves. Unfortunately, in this aspect we are coming from 100, 200 or 300 years back—100 or 200 years if you are in Australia—and, if you go back to the Westminster system and the European systems, a lot of the leadership in society was male dominated. It is a fact and you cannot argue.

There has been a movement, it has been a large movement, and there continues to be a movement in the high-end of society, the corporate world, the leaders of businesses and even in government. We look up on the walls here and we see women getting their first time to vote and being able to enter parliament. These were absolutely landslide movements, 100 and 200 years ago, and we are still moving.

I think it is really important that this motion has some aspects regarding violence, sexual harassment or coercion of anyone—it does not matter whether a woman or a male. It does not matter at all. We are all equal, and so we should be treated equally. But this is the problem that the government has: there are two economies here. We have a bureaucratic government economy where they can put in legislation and in writing: we will be represented equally on a board, in management, in a system and on an employee basis—fifty-fifty. No-one is really going to mind. We would love to see women entering the government workforce, or men entering the workforce. It does not matter.

But in the private sector, and this is where it gets lost, the best person should always win the role if there are two people to choose from. It should not matter about gender. I believe that gender does not come into it in the private world. The clarity around that is that in the private world—again, I will reiterate—the awards do not say, 'I can pay that person less because they are a male, or I can pay that person less because they are a female.' It does not distinguish. That is what is really important around gender bias and equality. We all want to see it.

I have a daughter who is entering the workforce at age 22, and she is going into upper management. She tells me about the old ways, perhaps the men's club type mentality in the corporate world. It exists. Unfortunately, it still exists but it is changing. Can I just say that we must always realise that, in the productive private world, production matters.

I will give you another little reference. My son is a diesel mechanic. He has been working in the mining industry. He told me about a massive cohort of young women going into the mining industry; there were about 50 of them. It was a big draft of women being trained as apprentices. I cannot remember the field; it does not matter. It could have been diesel mechanics, it could have been engineers, it could have been drivers, it just does not matter, but they were going into the earthmoving business and they were absolutely valued. They were in the system, they were being trained and they love it. They carry their weight and they are as valued as much as anyone in the mining industry could be.

From the next cohort of females who came through, there has been a massive exodus. In other words, half of them have stayed in it. Why? It apparently was not for them. These young women obviously wanted to have a go—great. They got the feeling to see how it was going to work for them and it did not. That is absolutely fine as well.

It is still the fact that women in our society are the ones who rear and do most of the home work still today. If you go back 10, 20, 30, 50 or 100 years, that role was a great deal bigger and more significant. There has been a great shift. We know that some men make great home fathers; they play that mother role. That is not a problem. The wife in the family unit can be the breadwinner. We hear of this and that is absolutely brilliant. We have these family units completely opposite to what they used to be 100 years ago.

It is important that the women coming through society and moving out of the education system know that there is no difference out there, that their choices are not restricted because they are a woman, and I do not believe they are. We must recognise that there are different roles that we still have as genders. We know that the women obviously have to bear the child, have the birth and then there are greater options than ever before going forward.

I can tell you that I am very much appreciative because I would not have made much of a mother. I was not much of a father but I would have been worse as a mother. I did marry a beautiful wife, a nurse as she was. She was a terrific nurse. Even that occupation is dominated by females. It does not mean there are no male nurses—they can make absolutely brilliant nurses—but it is still an area that the women do very well and it seems to attract women more than ever and it is still the same. It was a lot bigger cohort 10, 20, 30 and 50 years ago.

I appreciate this motion and I think it has some real merit, but I want to make sure that governments understand that in the private sector we are still about productivity. We still want the best people for the jobs. The best people should still be allowed to get those jobs. Gender should not matter. I have highlighted this before, but there is not an award in Australia that says because I am a male I should be paid less than my female counterpart and vice versa, that if I were a female I should be paid less and my male counterpart should be paid more. That does not exist.

Yes, there are some women who may wish to work fewer hours. Perhaps they are still doing the family role, perhaps they still have children and child-bearing type duties because the male cannot do it, will not do it or is not good at it like me, so those sorts of differences will exist.

When we talk about the family court system, when marriages and unions break up, great importance is given to who has played what role and the importance of the stay-home parent is valued through the court system in the separation. Superannuation is taken into consideration through the separation process because the woman might not have been able to participate in the workforce as much as the male, for example, as the past has indicated. That is balanced out and this happens.

With reference to this gender pay gap, there is not a system out there deliberately trying to divide our genders, there is not a system out there trying to pay one gender more than the other. Yes, there are some differences about participation. Yes, there are some differences about role play and the importance of family life and if that continues to play out then we are going to hear about those differences.

Amendment negatived; motion carried.