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) (14:08): I thank Senator Tyrrell for the question and for her advocacy both for women's economic security and, in particular, for those industries where this pay rise will make the most difference.

For too long, workers in female dominated industries have been undervalued and underpaid. The pay rise for 460,000 health, disability and community service workers will be welcomed across that sector. They deserve fair pay that reflects their skills and experience and the nature of the important work that they do across our communities right around Australia.

There are frontline workers who help find housing for people facing homelessness, who support women and children escaping family and domestic violence, who deliver food to families in need or who help people with a disability find a job that they love. The Fair Work Commission's findings recognise that work done by women has been undervalued for too long because of gender based assumptions.

Our $630 million investment will support charities and not-for-profit organisations to meet the award wage increases without compromising services that Australians rely on. Over 128,000 organisations funded under 92 programs will receive extra funding. This includes legal assistance workers, housing workers, youth workers, community development workers and First Nations health and community services workers, and it follows on our investment in wage increases in aged care and early childhood education—again, workforces where the majority of workers are women.

In total, the Albanese government has now invested over $25 billion to address gender undervaluation of wages in women dominated sectors.