The Greens will ensure that women's economic equity is an issue that is front and centre in 2023.
Women’s Economic Equity
The gender pay gap is unacceptable. The wage cap imposed by the government on the public sector means that public sector workers have had real wages cuts. The workers hit hardest by these cuts are the lowest paid workers, who are predominantly women. Wages for teachers, nurses, midwives, paramedics and early childhood educators are simply too low.
Women are also predominantly those taking on unpaid work in our communities. Whether it be parenting, caring or volunteering, this vital contribution to society should be recognised and endorsed. The Greens have a plan to ensure that everyone in our society receives a universal wellbeing payment – an amount that allows them not just to survive, but to thrive.
The Greens plan includes:
- Scrapping the public sector pay cap, which disproportionately affects highly feminised industries like teaching, nursing and early childhood education
- Ensuring equal pay for equal work, and that women are free from systemic discrimination in workplace conditions, employment relationships and opportunities for promotion or advancement
- Ensuring equal access to toilets for women in all trades and professions, including in male dominated industries
- Mandating equal pay, prize money and opportunity for women in sport
- Ensuring that unpaid work is appropriately recognised with access to the Universal Wellbeing Payment, a basic income for everyone
- Ensuring women are adequately and equally represented in the enterprise bargaining process across all sectors
- Addressing the homelessness crisis for older women and women at risk with a massive boost to funding for specialist older women’s housing and homelessness services
- Pioneering regulatory changes to better empower women’s financial independence and protect against financial abuse