QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator GALLAGHER (Australian Capital Territory—Minister for Finance, Minister for the Public Service, Minister for Women, Minister for Government Services and Manager of Government Business in the Senate) (14:13): I thank Senate Stewart for that question. As Senate Stewart has outlined, Australia has increased its international gender equality ranking from the 43rd when we came to government 13th in the last reporting period.

The gender pay gap is at a record low. Women are earning almost $300 more per week, with a big reason behind that being our investments in those undervalued and underpaid occupations of aged care and early education and care. Women's participation rate is up.

Women's employment is up. We've got paid parental leave moving to six months, and super on PPL. This budget is proof, and when you see it in conjunction with the budgets that have come before it, it is dealing with the structural issues that had been left for way too long.

The women of Australia were over it. We are dealing with these issues one by one and improving the lives of women across the country.