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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-03-14 Daily Xml
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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (14:52): My question is to the Minister for Industrial Relations. In light of the recent celebration of International Women's Day, will the minister provide the council with details of how the South Australian government is supporting women to combine work and family obligations?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:53): I thank the member for his very honourable question. I also acknowledge the fact that as secretary of the ASU he was involved in many policies that helped women in the workplace. He did a very good job. Mr President, as you are aware, International Women's Day was celebrated across the world on 8 March. This annual event is about celebrating the vital role women play in enhancing economic security for their families, communities and countries as a whole by recognising that significant barriers to achieving women's economic security and equality continue to exist.

International Women's Day also provides an opportunity to consider the contribution of women in our workplaces and identify new and innovative work arrangements that will allow them the flexibility to achieve a better balance between their family life and job obligations. Since 2007, the South Australian Strategic Plan has included a work-life balance target to improve the quality of life of all South Australians through the maintenance of a healthy work-life balance. South Australia leads the nation as the only state to demonstrate its commitment to work-life balance in its strategic plan.

As the lead agency for this target, SafeWork SA is partnered with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors to develop a strategy in support of it. As part of its strategy, SafeWork SA has worked with and provided assistance to employers to promote legislation that supports work-life balance. One such area of legislation is the commonwealth government's Fair Work Act 2009, which provides the national employment standards—a set of basic minimum employment standards for the private sector. The national employment standards now provide mothers and fathers the right to request flexible work arrangements if they are the primary carer of a child aged under six years or a disabled child under the age of 18. SafeWork SA's work-life balance strategy has supported this addition.

Along with the promotion of legislation, SafeWork SA's work-life balance strategy has worked with employers to establish flexible work arrangements through government-led programs, such as the work-life balance innovations master classes. These master classes mentor flexible work innovations, with a deliberate policy of supporting maximum workforce participation, not just for women with family responsibilities but for everybody. The advantage of this approach is that it does not stigmatise flexible work and it ensures that both women and men are supported to engage in care and other community activities whilst maintaining their skills and experience in the workforce.

Another major project is examining how the quality of part-time work in South Australia can be improved. The quality part-time work project, which is being overseen by the Work Life Balance Advisory Committee, works with employers to make part-time work a high productivity and high satisfaction option that is accessible for both women and men at all levels, including management.

The South Australian government is a strong advocate for women's participation in the workforce and, through its work in the area of work-life balance, will continue to explore ways of supporting both women and men to work while allowing them to maintain their care responsibilities.

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