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) (14:09): I thank Senator Whiteaker for that question too. It is important. We know that, while we can make gains and we do make gains, on this side of the chamber we always look at ways we can better support women.

We know that that doesn't come without challenge or without threats to that, and we need to protect it. In the last little while, we have seen comments made about women just having children to get these types of payments, that PPL will send small business broke and that if people bring children into the world it's their responsibility, not the taxpayers', and we don't accept that on this side of the chamber.

In the last month, Senator Hanson said: 'Why should business pay because they're not at work? That's the difference. That's why the pay gap is there.' That, again, is not correct analysis.

Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson, back in 2013, said: 'PPL, to me, is a very bad scheme, and I make no ambiguity about it. This is not my choice that women have children. It's genetic.' (Time expired)