Outcomes from 21 September 2022
The Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce (Taskforce) met for the first time on 21 September 2022.
The Minister for Women addressed the Taskforce and encouraged members to be bold in their thinking and advice. Members shared their priorities for reform that will lead to greater equality between women and men in Australia.
The Taskforce discussed the draft Terms of Reference and agreed that their work must focus on uplifting women experiencing compounding forms of disadvantage first, ensuring no one is left behind.
The Taskforce noted the importance of an evidence-based architecture for driving progress towards gender equality that will provide an enduring framework for future reform, and agreed that bringing child care reforms forward would benefit women’s economic equality. Members agreed to send their priorities to the Chair to consider as part of the Taskforce’s forward work plan.
The Treasury provided the Taskforce with an update on the Employment White Paper. The White Paper will have a strong focus on women’s workforce participation and will be finalised by the end of September 2023.
Outcomes from 2 November 2022
The Taskforce met for the second time on 2 November 2022.
The Taskforce discussed their priorities and work plan, and the need to focus on foundational policy the Government is working on, to create an enduring architecture that advances progress towards gender equality, and prioritises the immediate unmet needs of particular groups.
The Taskforce reflected on the 2022-23 October Budget and Women’s Budget Statement, which contained a significant body of work across many of the issues referenced in the Taskforce’s Terms of Reference. Members reflected that future iterations have the opportunity to increase the focus on First Nations employment, single mothers and women with older children. Members discussed the level of welfare payments for women experiencing poverty.
The Taskforce discussed Government’s request for advice on optimal settings for changes to the Paid Parental Leave Scheme. The Taskforce will provide advice in two tranches, with the first tranche of advice provided on 16 November 2022 on legislation to be introduced to Parliament by the end of the year. The Taskforce will provide Government with further advice on legislation to extend the scheme beyond 20 weeks in 2023.
The Taskforce was provided with an overview of work on the National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality (National Strategy). The Taskforce’s Terms of Reference outline their role as a key contributor to the National Strategy, and the Office for Women will work closely with the Taskforce during the drafting process. The Taskforce discussed their role in OFW consultations, and options for Taskforce-specific consultations in 2023.
Outcomes from 5 December 2022
The Taskforce met for the third time on 5 December 2022.
The Taskforce discussed the development of the National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality (Strategy) and reflected on members’ involvement in recent Strategy consultations. Members noted many of the issues raised in consultations are persistent issues that have been identified for decades. The Taskforce discussed and provided feedback on the draft gender equality architecture that is being developed to underpin the Strategy.
The Taskforce confirmed the structure and narrative of women’s economic equality, and the priorities for specific recommendations to Government for Budget 2023-24 and policies.
The Chair briefed the Taskforce on a number of consultations with the Treasury, Department of Finance, Office for Women, Department of Workplace Relations and Department of Social Services that has informed the Taskforce’s focus areas.
The Taskforce discussed challenges with the current ParentsNext program settings and considered how to provide advice to Government. The Taskforce agreed to write to the Chair of the House Select Committee on Workforce Australia Employment Services with recommendations for the future of the program. The Taskforce noted that the House Select Committee is considering other issues relevant to the Taskforce’s remit including First Nations employment.
The Taskforce reflected on their priority areas for future work and discussed opportunities to conduct a rapid review of existing research available in these policy areas. The Taskforce reaffirmed their commitment to look at policies that will have the greatest impact for women. The Taskforce noted Government priorities and work has progressed, and the Taskforce will need to consider how their priorities fit into the changed environment.
The Taskforce discussed Government’s request for further advice on the optimal settings to the Paid Parental Leave Scheme and noted the second tranche of advice to inform legislative changes would be provided to Government in 2023. The Taskforce noted the structure of paid parental leave for fathers and secondary care givers is itself a barrier to access and uptake.
In-camera session: 19 December 2022
The Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce (Taskforce) met for the fourth time on 19 December 2022. This meeting was an in-camera session without external observers or note takers.
Outcomes from 23 January 2023
The Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce met for the fifth time on 23 January 2023.
The meeting included discussions with representatives from the Treasury on the development of the 2023-24 Women’s Budget Statement. The Taskforce suggested the Women’s Budget Statement could be used as an accountability tool to monitor process on gender equality, and there is an opportunity to link expenditure with expected positive economic outcomes for women and gender equality.
The Taskforce also heard from officials from the Department of Social Services and Department of Finance on the expansion of the Paid Parental Leave Scheme. The Taskforce discussed the ‘use it or lose it’ components of the scheme, in the context of encouraging greater take up of Paid Parental Leave by men, and how work requirements for the scheme can adversely impact women in differing circumstances.
The Office for Women provided an update on the development of the National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality. The Taskforce also discussed opportunities to collaborate with the newly established Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee.
The Taskforce discussed their engagement strategy to hear from women whose experiences and voices may not be represented in traditional consultation processes. The Taskforce agreed on an explanatory framework for achieving women’s economic equality. The explanatory framework will focus on four priority areas: education and skills; work; caring responsibilities and the care sector; and the tax, transfer and income system.
Outcomes from 13 February 2023
The Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce met for the sixth time on 13 February 2023.
The meeting included a discussion of the Taskforce’s advice to Government concerning their 2023-24 Budget priorities and finalising the Taskforce’s explanatory framework.
The Chair provided an update on her attendance at the recent Council on Federal Financial Relations meeting with the Minister for Women where they spoke about opportunities and challenges facing women in Australia and new developments from the Taskforce and National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality (National Strategy).
The Business Council of Australia presented on its Paid Parental Leave modelling that will support deliberations and Taskforce advice to Government on the scheme. The Taskforce was also briefed on upcoming unpaid parental leave reforms from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.
The Office for Women provided an update on activities in Parliament, including the tabling of the Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Closing the Gap) Bill 2023. Members were also provided with an update on the National Strategy and on the high-level preliminary findings from the OECD Review of Gender Impact Assessment and Gender Responsive Budgeting in Australia.
Taskforce members discussed their priority areas to inform their final advice and deliverable to the Minister for Women. Members reflected on the recent engagement sessions which included women with lived experiences and discussed the upcoming sessions.
Outcomes from 1 March 2023
The Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce met for the seventh time on 1 March 2023. The Taskforce met with the Minister for Women to discuss their 2023-24 Budget priorities.
Outcomes from 21 March 2023
The Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce met for the eighth time on 21 March 2023.
The meeting included a discussion on the Taskforce’s work to inform the Australian Government’s 2023-24 Budget priorities and finalising the Taskforce’s explanatory framework.
The Chair provided an update on her recent media engagements including the address at the National Press Club on 9 March 2023 entitled “Who Cares? The courage to create an economy for all”. The Chair reflected the Taskforce recommendations which were made at the National Press Club were also raised in an ABC story entitled “Can the Government overcome the challenge of lifting women out of the poverty trap?”
The Chair provided an update on the work of the Care and Economy Support Taskforce relating to the Taskforce’s priorities, and the current status of engagements by the Taskforce.
Professor Marian Baird and Associate Professor Liz Hill gave an in-depth presentation on findings from their second tranche of research into the Paid Parental Leave scheme to inform the Taskforce’s further advice to Government on changes to the Paid Parental Leave Scheme.
In-camera session 17 April 2023
The Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce met for the ninth time on 17 April 2023. This meeting was an in-camera session without external observers or note takers.
Outcomes from 28 April 2023
The Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce met for the tenth and final time on 28 April 2023.
The Taskforce discussed their final deliverables to Government. Members also discussed their second stage of advice on the expansion of the Paid Parental Leave Scheme to inform legislative changes.
The Chair made closing remarks, reflecting on the Taskforce’s work to date and thanked members for their time and contributions.