Media Release 1 March 2022
Morrison missing for working women
A report released by the ACTU today - “Morrison Missing – A Record of his Failure for Working Women” reveals how the Morrison Government has comprehensively failed to support working women.
SA Unions Secretary Dale Beasley said the major report identified six key areas the Scott Morrison had failed to support women.
“Under the Morrison Government women earn on average $483.30 less per week than a man and retire with about half the amount of super as a man.
“Women are more likely to be in low wage and insecure work, and therefore more likely to have lost work or hours during the pandemic.
“At work, women have had a 2 in 3 chance of experiencing sexual harassment in a current or former workplace.
“Despite strong community support and consistent advocacy by the labour movement, women still have no guaranteed right to paid family and domestic violence leave, despite a spike in family and domestic violence during the pandemic.
“In regard to raising children, Australian women rely on the second worst paid parental leave scheme in the developed world, according to the OECD.
“Additionally, women pay for some of the most expensive early childhood education and care in the world – with early childhood educators being extremely low paid.”
Mr Beasley said that the report outlines, on each issue, that Scott Morrison has either done nothing, shirked responsibility, or blocked progress.
“On every issue important to women, Scott Morrison has delayed, deflected or dithered. As a result, women have made little to no progress under the Morrison Government, and this needs to change as a matter of urgency.”
Mr Dale said that the report calls for several long-overdue changes to make workplaces and society safer for women, close the gender pay gap and ensure all working women have a secure retirement.
“We call on the Morrison Government to support Australia’s women through the immediate introduction of the following measures.
“Women must be supported through the introduction of stronger equal pay laws in the Fair Work Act.
“They must be paid superannuation on parental leave and all 55 recommendations of the Respect@Work report, including a positive duty on employers to prevent sexual harassment must be implemented.
“We must protect women through the legislation of 10 days paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave into the National Employment Standards
“Women must be supported through the introduction of free, universal, accessible and high-quality childhood education and care.”
Find out more about the Our Jobs, Our Health, Our Future campaign here.
For further media comments contact:
Dale Beasley
SA Unions - Secretary