Published: 14 Mar 2022
The ACTU has released “Morrison Missing – A Record of his Failure for Working Women” – a major report outlining how the Morrison Government has failed to support working women.
The report shows that under the Morrison Government, women in the workplace:
Earn on average $483.30 less per week than a man and retire with about half the amount of super as a man.
Are more likely to be in low wage and insecure work, and therefore more likely to have lost work or hours during the pandemic.
Have a 2 in 3 chance of experiencing sexual harassment in a current or former workplace.
No guaranteed right to paid family and domestic violence leave, despite a spike in family and domestic violence during the pandemic.
Rely on the second worst paid parental leave scheme in the developed world, according to the OECD.
Pay for some of the most expensive early childhood education and care in the world – with early childhood educators being extremely low paid.
As the report outlines, on each issue, Scott Morrison has either done nothing, shirked responsibility, or blocked progress.
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 including:
Introducing stronger equal pay laws in the Fair Work Act
Pay superannuation on parental leave
Implement all 55 recommendations of the Respect@Work report, including a positive duty on employers to prevent sexual harassment.
Legislate 10 days paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave into the National Employment Standards
Introduce free, universal, accessible and high-quality childhood education and care