HAS A GENDER LENS ACTUALLY BEEN APPLIED TO THE FEDERAL BUDGET?

A note from the CEO

Less than 48 hours ago the Federal Treasurer delivered the budget. In the lead up Minister for Finance, Women and Public Service, Katy Gallagher told us that gender equality is at the heart of everything the government does, every budget decision is seen through a gendered lens, and lifting women up is central to Australia’s economic prosperity. So, did the budget deliver on those claims?

There were thumbs up from our post budget webinar panellists yesterday in terms of the Government making serious ground in their gender responsive budgeting and articulating a commitment to embed a gender perspective in government decision making. However, there was acknowledgement that there is still work to be done to move beyond the notion of ‘women’s policy’ to apply a gender lens to all policy. The clean energy transition, for example, has clear gendered implications yet was not included in the women’s budget statement.

There were a number of measures in the budget that have delivered for women including childcare subsidies, increased paid parental leave, funded pay increase for aged care workers, and increases to jobseeker for 55 and over. The move to pay day super is also a significant win for women but it was more than disappointing that the savings on the changes to super tax concessions at the ‘top end’ were not redistributed to deal with inequities for lower income workers.

Our Policy Committee will meet next week to discuss ‘what’s next?’ for Women in Super’s advocacy work and super on paid parental leave and a realignment of the LISTO will be front and centre of that discussion.