Women and the Federal Election 2013 - Major Party Policies Compared and Contrasted August 2013
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Women and
the Federal
Election 2013
Major Party Policies
August 2013 Compared and Contrasted
The National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW) has commissioned a series of papers comparing and contrasting policies impacting women in the lead-up to Election 2013. Only the three major parties have been covered and the NFAW has not endorsed any specific policies. The project is affiliated with the National Women’s Alliances Women - Use your Vote Project. In partnership with Women on Boards this analysis has been placed on public record against which the activities of the incoming Government in responding to issues impacting on women can be reviewed and measured. Electronic copies of Women and the Federal Election 2013 Major Party Policies Compared and Contrasted are available from: National Foundation for Australian Women www.nfaw.org Women on Boards www.womenonboards.org.au © 2013 Copyright National Foundation for Australian Women and individual authors Authorised by Marie Coleman, National Foundation for Australian Women, Level 7, St George Centre, 60 Marcus Clarke Street Canberra ACT 2601.
Table of Contents
Introduction ..................................................... 3 Women and Ageing ....................................... 44
Policies summaries ........................................ 3 Author: Dr Anna How .........................................................
Anti-Discrimination,Women’s Human Rights 5 Introduction ................................................. 44
Authors: Alison Laird with Hannah Gissane ............... 5 Overview ..................................................... 44
Sex Discrimination Laws ................................ 5 A slow timetable ........................................... 44
A Human Rights Act ....................................... 6 Policy dilemmas and comparisons ............... 45
Constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Community Care .......................................... 45
Torres Strait Islander peoples ........................ 7 Questions .................................................... 46
Child Care ....................................................... 8 Residential Care .......................................... 46
Affordability ................................................... 9 Workforce .................................................... 47
Availability .................................................... 11 Women and Girls with Disabilities ............... 48
Quality ......................................................... 12 Author: Sue Salthouse. ......................................................
Work Force .................................................. 12 General Policies .......................................... 48
Education ...................................................... 14 Digital Economy ........................................... 49
Author: Julia Ryan ............................................................. Economy ..................................................... 49
References .................................................. 14 Education .................................................... 49
Schools ....................................................... 15 Skills and Training ....................................... 50
Vocational Education and Training ............... 17 Employment ................................................. 50
Access and equity for girls and women ........ 18 Health and Wellbeing ................................... 50
Health ............................................................ 20 Housing & Homelessness ............................ 51
Author: Gwen Gray and Darlene Cox ................................ Mental Health .............................................. 51
Party policies in the health sector ................ 21 Reproductive Rights .................................... 51
Housing ......................................................... 26 Transport ..................................................... 51
Authors Hannah Gissane and Alison Laird ....................... Violence Prevention ..................................... 51
Commonwealth Rent Assistance .................. 26 Appendix A .................................................. 52
National Rental Affordability Scheme ........... 26 Workforce Attachment .................................. 53
Affordable Housing Growth Fund and National Authors: Professor Marian Baird and Irina Kolodizner .....
Housing Strategy ......................................... 27 Childcare ..................................................... 54
National Partnership Agreement on Baby Bonus ................................................. 54
Homelessness ............................................. 27 Workplace Flexibility .................................... 55
Women ........................................................ 27 Employment Protection and Breastfeeding ... 56
Negative Gearing ........................................ 28 Pregnancy Discrimination ............................ 56
Income Security ............................................ 29 Equal Opportunity ........................................ 56
Author: Helen Hodgson ..................................................... Equal Pay .................................................... 58
Work Disincentives, Newstart & Sole Parents Women in Leadership .................................. 58
29 Appendix: Liberal Amendments to WGE Act . 59
Family Tax Benefits ..................................... 29 Violence Against Women .............................. 60
Newstart ...................................................... 30 Authors: Libby Lloyd with Alison Barclay. .................... 60
Parenting Payment ...................................... 32 National Plan to Reduce Violence Against
Paid Parental Leave Schemes ...................... 34 Women and their Children ........................... 61
Authors: Ruth Medd and Marie Coleman ........................... Communities safe and free from violence .... 61
Core differences between the major parties . 34 Relationships are respectful ......................... 61
Employer Parental Leave Schemes ............. 37 Indigenous communities are strengthened ... 62
How many employers provide PPL?............. 38 Services meet the needs of women and their
Rates of pay for PPL ................................... 39 children experiencing violence ..................... 62
Superannuation & women’s retirement Justice responses are effective .................... 62
savings .......................................................... 40 Perpetrators stop their violence .................. 62
Authors: Dr Helen Hodgson and Ruth Medd ................. 40 Research ..................................................... 63
Proposals to assist low income workers ....... 40 Youth Unemployment .................................... 64
Proposals Addressing Time Out of the Author: Associate Professor Lucas Walsh
Workforce as Carers .................................... 42 Overview ..................................................... 64
References and Further Resources ............. 43 Schooling .................................................... 65
Before and After School Hours Care ............ 65
Access to University .................................... 66
Skills and workforce training ........................ 66
Disability care .............................................. 67
Youth Allowance .......................................... 67
Attachment A: Analysis ................................ 68
National Foundation for Australian Women 2
Introduction
The National Foundation for Australian Women is Policies summaries
a feminist organisation working in partnership
with other women’s organisations to advance and Child Care
promote the interests of Australian women, record Child Care is the defining service for women with
and make accessible their histories, and ensure children who wish to be in the Australian work
their achievements are handed on to future force. Demand outstrips supply.
generations. NFAW is not affiliated to any
political party and is independent of government Compare and Contrast: affordability; flexibility;
funding. accessibility; out of school hours care.
For more than two decades the NFAW has set the Paid Parental Leave
agenda for women's issues nationally and given
Paid Parental Leave is critical to the quality of life
weight to the collective voice of Australian
for parents, babies and families.
women. Today as NFAW progresses the interests
of women and keeps the aspirations of women Compare and Contrast: duration of scheme;
alive to be handed on to new generations. provisions for maintaining connection with work
force; level of income; equity; funding sources.
In 2013 NFAW commissioned a series of papers
to provide a gender lens on a range of public Female Work-force Attachment Policies
policy issues in the lead up the 2013 election.
Enhanced work-force participation is a significant
In partnership with Women on Boards this factor in improving productivity of the Australian
analysis has been placed on public record against economy (Australian Treasury).
which the activities of the incoming Government
in responding to issues impacting on women can Compare and Contrast: family-friendly working
be reviewed and measured. Each policy analysis, conditions; pay equity; coupled with child care
unless there is contrary annotation, has been access.
through the process of fact checking with Party Income Security for Women
spokespeople before being published. Every
comment has not always been accepted. The most secure way out of poverty is through
employment. Income support should provide
NFAW as a member of two of the National adequate income while encouraging workforce
Women’s Alliances, is supporting the Women participation.
Vote 2013 project at www.womenvote.org.au
Compare and Contrast: Newstart and sole parents;
family tax benefits; means testing; parenting
payment.
Superannuation
Superannuation presents as a ‘gender blind’ system
but, for a complex of factors, women’s outcomes
are significantly worse than men.
Compare and Contrast: assistance to low income
earners; unpaid carers.
Anti-discrimination and Women’s Human
Rights
The extent to which negative discrimination can be
resolved is linked to the relevant legislative
framework.
Compare and Contrast: sex discrimination laws; a
Human Rights Act; constitutional recognition of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Women and the Federal Election 2013: Major Party Policies Compared and Contrasted 3
Violence Against Women Compare and Contrast: National schemes:
education and training; university places;
Living safe and free from violence is everyone’s
Indigenous employment.
right: reducing violence is everyone’s
responsibility.
Compare and Contrast: a national plan; primary
prevention; respectful relationships; strong
Indigenous communities; accountability of
offenders.
Education
Education policies grounded in gender equity
deliver better social and economic outcomes than
market-based models.
Compare and Contrast: a national plan; schools;
vocational training; universities; access and
equity.
Health
Living and working conditions influence health
outcomes with poverty and social disadvantage
being major causes of ill health.
Compare and Contrast: public subsidising of
private health insurance; rural health; mental
health; dental care; primary care; preventative
care; junk food advertising.
Aged Care
Significant tensions continue to exist between the
interests of older people and their families, and
aged care staff, and providers.
Compare and Contrast: women as users of aged
care services; as carers; and as members of the
aged care workforce.
Housing
Large numbers of single, older women will soon
reach retirement without economic and housing
security.
Compare and Contrast: National Rental
Affordability Scheme; National affordable
housing; negative gearing; domestic violence.
Women and Girls with Disabilities
Visibility of disability issues across portfolios is
poor in general and particularly so for women.
Compare and Contrast: National Disability
Strategy; employment and economy; education
and training; health; housing; transport; violence.
Youth Unemployment
Getting a job is a major concern for young
Australians.
National Foundation for Australian Women 4
Anti-discrimination
& Women’s Human Rights
Authors: Alison Laird with Hannah Gissane • In March 2013, Government announced the
Senate Committee’s recommendations ‘will
The Sex Discrimination Commissioner is
require deeper consideration and ‘the Attorney
conducting an inquiry into discrimination in the
General’s Department will continue to work on
workplace. A survey has been released which
the’ Draft Bill. Instead the Sex Discrimination
finds that most Australian employers prefer male
1 Amendment (Sexual Orientation, Gender
employees without relationships of children. The
Identity and Intersex Status) Bill 2013 (SDA
extent to which negative discrimination can be
Bill) was introduced. Amended Draft Bill not
resolved is linked to the relevant legislative
expected before election.
framework.
• On 25 June 2013 the SDA Bill was passed,
Sex Discrimination Laws providing new protections against
discrimination on the basis of a person’s sexual
Australian Labor Party orientation, gender identity and intersex status.
• Government has been consulting extensively Includes a limitation on the religious
on consolidating 5 federal anti-discrimination exemption by preventing any Commonwealth-
laws since 2008 Senate Standing Committee funded aged care provider from discriminating
on Legal and Constitutional Affairs against people because of sexual orientation,
Committee Inquiry into the Sex gender identity or intersex status.
Discrimination Act 1984 (SDA Inquiry). • On 22 June 2013, Australian Government
• Consolidating anti-discrimination laws is a announced Australian Human Rights
key plank of its Human Rights Framework. Commission inquiry into workplace
discrimination against employees taking
• Exposure Draft Human Rights and Anti- parental leave when they are pregnant or caring
Discrimination Bill 2012 (Draft Bill) 2 was for a baby. See the NFAW Female Workforce
released on 20 November 2012 and would Attachment Policies comparison paper for
implement many recommendations of the more information.
SDA Inquiry.
• Draft Bill was referred to the Senate Legal Coalition
and Constitutional Affairs Committee (Senate • No reference in Coalition policy document,
Committee) for inquiry on 21 Nov 2013. Our Plan Real Solutions for all Australians,
Recommendations included adding ‘domestic January 2013 (Coalition Plan).4
violence’ as a protected attribute3:
• Opposed to the Draft Bill (see ‘Dissenting
Report by Coalition Senators’ in the Senate
Inquiry Report into the Draft Bill). 5
• Senator George Brandis has also stated that the
Coalition will “oppose it outright” rather than
seek to amend the Draft Bill.6
4 http://australianpolitics.com/downloads/liberal/13-01-
1
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-21/survey- 26_our-plan_liberal-party.pdf
businesses-prefer-male-workers/4833586
5 The Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation
2 Committee, ‘Dissenting Report by Coalition Senators’,
http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees Exposure Draft of the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination
/Senate_Committees?url=legcon_ctte/anti_discrimination_2 Bill 2012 Report, February 2013,
012/report/index.htm http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/
Senate_Committees?url=legcon_ctte/anti_discrimination_201
3 The Senate, Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation
2/report/d01.htm
Committee, Exposure Draft of the Human Rights and Anti-
Discrimination Bill 2012 Report, February 2013,
www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senat 6 See http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/legal-
e_Committees?url=legcon_ctte/anti_discrimination_2012/re affairs/coalition-to-oppose-draft-anti-discrimination-
port/index.htm bill/story-e6frg97x-1226571162662
Women and the Federal Election 2013: Major Party Policies Compared and Contrasted 5In Senate, Coalition supported Sex disadvantaged groups and should be replaced
Discrimination Amendment (Sexual Orientation, case-by-case assessments. 11
Gender Identity and Intersex Status) Bill in form
• Australian Greens supported Sex
initially passed by House of Representatives.
Discrimination Amendment (Sexual
However opposed Senate amendment relating to
Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex
aged-care services as it impacted on the religious
Status) Bill 2013 including aged-care
organisations exemptions from anti-
amendment.
discrimination law.7
Australian Greens A Human Rights Act
• Support Draft Bill. 8 Australian Labor Party
• Strongly supports adding ‘domestic violence’ • In November 2008, the Rudd Government
as a protected attribute. established a National Human Rights
Consultation Committee (NHRCC) to
• Also recommended that the definition of
undertake consultation and report by 30
'family responsibilities' be changed to 'family
September 2009.
and caring responsibilities' to cover a broader
range of care arrangements.9 • Government response to NHRCC in January
2010: Would not introduce a federal Human
• Sees modernising federal anti-discrimination
Rights Act at that stage but a commitment was
and human rights law as a priority and has
made to revisit the issue in 2014. Implemented
expressed disappointment that the Draft Bill
aspects of National Human Rights Framework
has not been introduced to Parliament. 10
instead consisting of a range of initiatives to
• General policy is that arbitrary permanent better protect and promote human rights
exemptions in anti-discrimination law, such (including consolidation of anti-discrimination
as exist for some religious organisations, laws).
discriminate against marginalised and
Coalition
• Coalition does not support a national Human
Rights Act or bill/charter of rights. Instead,
supports expanded Parliamentary scrutiny of
7 See Senator George Brandis, Sex Discrimination legislation from a human rights point of view.12
Amendment (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and
• No reference in Coalition Plan.
Intersex Status) Bill 2013 Second Reading SPEECH,
Tuesday 18 June 2013, p.67-68, available at • In its 2010 election policy The Coalition’s Plan
http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/genpdf/chamber/hansards for Real Action for Australia’s Future, the
/f90859b3-0bb1-4bbd-a785- Coalition parties pledged to ‘discontinue the
20f87fcde352/0192/hansard_frag.pdf;fileType=application Australian Human Rights Framework’, as part
%2Fpdf of its projected expenditure savings.
8 As above, “Additional Comments by the Australian
Greens”, available at Australian Greens
www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senat
• Aim to progress an Australian bill of rights and
e_Committees?url=legcon_ctte/anti_discrimination_2012/re
port/d02.htm
incorporate Australia’s international human
rights obligations into domestic law
9 As above, “Additional Comments by the Australian
Greens”.
10 See Second reading amendment to be moved by Senator 11 Australian Australian Greens, Media release, Anti-
Wright on behalf of the Australian Australian Greens, Sex discrimination laws should go further, 21, November 2012,
Discrimination Amendment (Sexual Orientation, Gender available at http://Australian Greens.org.au/content/anti-
Identity and Intersex Status) Bill 2013, 18 June 2013, discrimination-laws-should-go-further-0
available at
12 See ‘Coalition Senator’s Dissenting Report into the
http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/legislation/am
Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Bill 2010 and Human
end/r5026_amend_964f887c-4e0a-4b81-89fa-
Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) (Consequential Provisions)
d968d797cbc1/upload_pdf/7392_Sex%20Discrimination%2
Bill 2010’, available at
0Amdt%20%28Sexual%20Orientation,%20Gender%20Ident
http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/
ity%20and%20Intersex%20Status%29%20Bill%202013.pdf
Senate_Committees?url=legcon_ctte/completed_inquiries/20
;fileType=application%2Fpdf#search=%22legislation/amen
10-13/human_rights_bills_43/report/d01.htm
d/r5026_amend_964f887c-4e0a-4b81-89fa-
d968d797cbc1%22
National Foundation for Australian Women 6(Australian Australian Greens Policy Human Coalition
Rights Adopted November 2012).13
ustralian Australian Greens Policy • Coalition supports a referendum to recognise
Constitutional Reform and Democracy Indigenous Australians in the Constitution.
Adopted November 2012 also states that the • No reference in Coalition Plan.
Australian Greens want an Australian Bill of
• Within 12 months of taking office, Coalition
Rights.
would put forward for public consultation a
Constitutional recognition of Aboriginal draft constitutional amendment and establish a
and Torres Strait Islander peoples bipartisan process to assess its chances of
success. 16
Australian Labor Party Tony Abbott has stated: “I'm a big supporter of
• AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY policy is to this. It should be a unifying moment for Australia.
change Australia's Constitution to recognise It should be a healing moment for Australia. And
the unique and special place of Aboriginal that's what I want to bring about.”17
and Torres Strait Islander people in Australian • Supported the Recognition Act.
society and culture.14
Australian Greens
• Australian Greens secured agreement after
2010 election that referendum would be held • Australian Australian Greens Policy
within 3 years. Constitutional Reform and Democracy
After Expert Panel on Constitutional Adopted November 2012) also states that the
Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Australian Greens want ‘Constitutional
Islander peoples report, Government assessed recognition of Australia's cultural diversity,
that more time was needed to build support and the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres
for the referendum. Strait Islander peoples as the original and
ongoing residents of Australia and their rights
• Introduced the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
as the traditional owners of the land’.
Islander Peoples Recognition Act 2013
• Supported the Recognition Act.
(Recognition Act) 15 which includes a
statement of recognition of the unique and
special place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples. The Act contains a sunset
date of two years. A review will be carried out
to consider levels of community support for
amending the Constitution and proposals for
constitutional change.
13 See http://Australian Greens.org.au/sites/Australian
Greens.org.au/files/policydownloads/Constitutional%20Ref
orm%20and%20Democracy_1.pdf 16 Tony Abbott Leader of the Opposition, Media Release,
14 See http://www.Australian Labor Coalition support for constitutional recognition of Indigenous
Party.org.au/thefirstaustralians people, 15 March, 2013.
15 See http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2013A00018 17 See http://www.recognise.org.au/why/who_supports_this
Women and the Federal Election 2013: Major Party Policies Compared and Contrasted 7Child Care
Authors: Marie Coleman, Helen Hodgson Issues women report include being unable to find a
vacancy near their home or workplace;
The National Foundation for Australian Women
unaffordable costs, particularly when they have
(NFAW) has compared and contrasted the child
more than one child in care; the hours of care
care policies of the major political parties in the
provided by services are unsuited to their own
lead-up to Election 2013. Separate documents
working hours; lack of vacation care services,
compare and contrast paid parental leave policies,
particularly as the twelve weeks of school vacation
workforce attachment policies and tax and
usually exceeds the annual leave available to both
transfer issues with additional papers to come.
parents; and particular problems when the child
This is part of the national women’s alliances
has special needs 21.
Women-Use your Vote Project.
Low income women or women in casual work are
Treasury has identified the quality, affordability
particularly disadvantaged as child care centres
and availability of child care as factors relevant
may not operate during the hours that they work
to workforce participation18. In 2012 The Grattan
shifts or they may not be able to retain a
Institute in its report ‘Game Changers’19, which
permanent booking at a child care service. Even
analysed potential drivers of improved
the modest goal of ensuring that all children have
productivity, supported Treasury, arguing that
access to 15 hours a week preschool before starting
improvements to child care availability and
school is not being achieved for significant
affordability, together with reducing the effective
numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander,
marginal tax rate (EMTR), should be considered
children from non English-speaking backgrounds,
as ‘game changers’ in achieving the goal of
and children living in remote areas.22
greater female work force attachment.
Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) is of particular
Working women consistently report both in
concern to many parents who are unable to find
formal studies and through blogs and other
work with hours that correspond to school hours or
informal sources that child care is an issue of
find that even part time participation in the
overwhelming importance as they try to maintain
workforce is interrupted by the need to provide
participation in the workforce. Media reports
care during vacations. In 2011 NFAW conducted a
indicate a critical shortage of care for the school
workshop addressing the need for improved out of
age child in some cities. Child care and family
school hours care services.23 The
friendly working conditions, particularly the right
recommendations reflect the findings of the
for either parent to request flexible or part-time
workshop, as well as the policy positions of the
work, are essential for parents to maintain
sponsoring national women’s groups. In particular
workforce attachment. Globally, evidence shows
these noted the lack of clear focus on the school
that countries with affordable and high-quality
age child at both the Commonwealth and State
child care alongside comprehensive parental leave
levels (prohibition of access to Commonwealth
policies have high maternal employment rates20.
funded school buildings in many states is an issue),
the need for re-thinking of the fee relief system
along the lines of the Henry review and work by
the National Centre for Social and Economic
1818 Breunig, Robert and Gong, Xiaodong (2010) Child Modelling, and the need to involve children in the
Care Availability, Quality and Affordability: Are Local development of activities which actively engage
Problems Related to Maternal Labour Supply? Treasury and interest them.
Working Paper 2010-02,
http://archive.treasury.gov.au/contentitem.asp?NavId=049&
ContentID=1781
19 http://grattan.edu.au/publications/reports/post/game-
changers-supporting-materials/
20 Abhayaratna, Joanne and Lattimore, RAustralian Labor 21 Baker, David: The Trouble with Child care; Policy Brief
Partyh (2006) Workforce Participation Rates: How Does No 49, The Australia Institute 20 March 2013 at
Australia Compare; Australian Government Productivity https://www.tai.org.au/index.php?q=node%2F19&pubid=111
Commission Staff Working Paper 8&act=display
http://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/60479/wo 22 Baxter, J., & Hand, K. (2013). Access to early childhood
rkforceparticipation.pdf education in Australia. Research report No. 24. Melbourne:
OECD. (2012) Closing The Gender Gap: Act Now. Australian Institute of Family Studies.
'Available at:doi.org/10.1787/9789264179370-en. (accessed 23 http://www.nfaw.org/what-we-do/social-
07/02/2013) OECD Publishing. policy/documents/out-of-school-hours-care/
National Foundation for Australian Women 8On 5 August the Government announced a Affordability
decision immediately prior to the proroguing of
the Parliament of a $450 million pilot to expand Although the current government has significantly
OSHC through the Better Schools Program increased funding in the sector, the affordability of
Details of the pilot are very similar to the policies child care services continues to be an issue for
being argued by the NFAW and further developed many Australian families, with a greater proportion
by a workshop in 2012 on OSHC held at the of families reporting difficulties in 2010 than in
Women and Work Research Group, University of 2001. Recent history of child care affordability and
Sydney. availability in Australia has been characterised by
privatisation. A substantial proportion of providers
In addition to parents and children utilising child are private for profit and employer provided care is
care services, the working conditions of child relatively rare. It is within this context that
care workers must also be taken into account. political debate around affordability largely centres
Child care workers are among the lowest paid on tax rebates and benefits. One of Australia’s
care workers, (typically around $18.00 ph in leading experts on the matter, Deborah Brennan, has
Sydney) and qualified educators can earn more in said that additional investments by Government and
other sectors. As a result child care operators taxpayers is inevitable and desirable if child care is
report significant churn of staff. to provide children with the best start in life and
NFAW made a submission on child care, support the participation of both women and men in
including subsidies for ‘nannies’ to the 2011 Tax social and economic life26.
Forum24 Affordability varies across household types.
NFAW has adopted the following assumptions: Overall the percentage of households reporting
difficulties with the cost of child care services in
• Affordability: Government subsidies should
the period 2001 to 2010 varies from a high of 43%
be equitable in terms of parental income.
in 2005 to a little under 30% in 2001. DEEWR
• Availability: Child care should be available data shows that out of pocket childcare costs after
for children from under one year through to Government subsidies ranges between 8.2% and
fourteen years of age; sufficiently flexible to 9.4% of disposable income across all income
meet the differing needs of working parents; ranges27.
and available locally - this may involve some
The current system of child care subsidies is
central planning as for schools.
complex. Originally designed to assist the lowest
• Quality: Child care services should provide a income families to access affordable child care so
safe and stimulating environment and that parents could work, subsidies have not kept
experience for children; should respect the pace with rising costs and the interaction between
need for diversity in children’s needs; and Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate are
employ properly qualified staff. Programs and confusing to many families28 The Child Care
services should be age appropriate. Benefit is means tested and work tested and
provides a proportion of a fixed hourly rate, up to
• Workforce: staff employed in child care
$199.50 per week. The Child Care Rebate is not
services should receive an adequate level of
means tested and is available to all working
remuneration.
parents who use Commonwealth approved
The recently released Australia Institute report25 services. It is based on 50% of the cost of child
‘found that the issues surrounding affordability, care after any Child Care Benefit, but it is capped
availability and quality of child care are complex. at $7500 per child per annum. The combination of
The public policy issue is to ensure that child the two benefits has previously allowed the lowest
care providers maintain quality care and pay child income earners to be refunded up to 95% of the
care workers a fair wage, while ensuring that the costs of child care, with sole parents reporting
cost of child care remains affordable to parents fewer concerns over the affordability of child care
through subsidies to parents and/or employers.
In a market based system, as the costs to child
care providers increase, these costs must be met
either by the parents using the service, or through 26 http://inside.org.au/investing-in-childhood-the-progress-
Government subsidies. and-the-pitfalls/, accessed on 7.3.13
27 DEEWR Child Care Update September Quarter 2012
http://foi.deewr.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/child_care_upd
24 http://www.nfaw.org/what-we-do/submissions/ ate_september_quarter_2012.pdf accessed 11/7/2013
25 See note 21 28 See note 4
Women and the Federal Election 2013: Major Party Policies Compared and Contrasted 9than couple families in 200529. However current and au pairs, as well as consideration of the out
data indicates that the gap has increased and the of pocket cost of child care and the rebates and
subsidy provided to low income families is now subsidies available.
less than 80%: families earning $35,000 pa pay a
• Have ruled out means testing the Child Care
gap of 8.8% of disposable income for care for one
Rebate if elected (Tony Abbott, interview
child compared to an unsubsidised cost of 39.8%
1/4/2012)
of disposable income30. However the
Productivity Commission advises that care should • Support continuation of the Child Care Benefit.
be exercised when interpreting this data as child Fiscal responsibility is paramount and any
care costs vary significantly31; and our funding changes will be within the broad
calculations indicate that at a daily rate of $90 for funding envelope. (Tony Abbott, Nov 2012)
one child, a family entitled to maximum CCB
would pay a gap of $125 per week, or 17% of
Australian Greens
$35.000 disposable income. Many middle • Proposed a Productivity Commission inquiry
income families also find the $7,500 cap is to look at child care funding and how rising
exhausted before the end of the financial year; costs can be addressed.
and parents may reduce their hours of work as a
• Will cut the cost of childcare by boosting
consequence
public funding. Support a more generous and
Australian Labor Party streamlined benefit/rebate payment to assist
families, particularly those with special needs
• Child care related financial assistance: or in remote or regional places. Support
Means tested child care benefit CCB plus indexation of child care assistance payments to
child care rebate CCR for 50% of child care address current high costs.
expenses up to $7,500 per child per year,
payable, payable weekly to parents or directly • Will pay all child care assistance directly to
to the centre. childcare centres to reduce the pressure on
parents who may have to pay fees up-front and
• Funding for OHSC subject to same tests and claim reimbursement.
limits as Long Day Care (although note lower
rate of CCB for school age children). • Have proposed a generous Capital Grants Fund
to assist new centres to open in high pressured
• CCR $7,500 cap to be frozen until 2017 areas, meaning daily fees will have to stay
• Jobs Education and Training (JET) Child Care competitive.
Fee Assistance: additional funding to help
more parents on income support – and mainly
mothers - to get the training and skills they
need to move into work, and increased
eligibility for up to two years.
Coalition
• Proposed Productivity Commission Inquiry
into child care system, the purpose of which
is to make it more affordable, flexible and
accessible.
• Terms of reference 32 include inquiry into day
care and in home services including nannies
29 McNamara J, Cassells R and Lloyd R. (2005) Persistence
of Problems with Child Care: Evidence from the HILDA
Survey HILDA Survey Research Conference; Melbourne.
30 See note 10
31 Productivity Commission Report on Government
Services 2013 http://www.pc.gov.au/gsp/rogs p 3.63
32 For the full terms of reference, see
http://www.liberal.org.au/latest-news/2012/11/19/tony-
abbott-joint-press-release-terms-reference-proposed-
productivity.
National Foundation for Australian Women 10Availability
The ABS has reported that child care availability Commissioned research into how to increase the
issues are greatest for families looking for a place supply of childcare and reduce red tape
for children not yet at school and that “demand
Outside School Hours Care
for child care is set to increase into the future”33.
The average reported difficulty with child care Commissioned a study into demand in 2013-14
availability was approximately half that for cost Budget- ‘community development’ approach. 4
difficulties. August announced a decision to establish through
Better Schools Program a $450m. expansion of
• The Office of Early Childhood Education and
OSHC at schools, which would promote flexibility
Child Care reports tell a different story. For
of hours and of program content, benefiting around
example for the week ended 2 September
345,000 children at 500 schools.
201234 :
• There were 61,660 reported long day care Coalition
vacancies each day, and 70 per cent of these Proposed Productivity Commission Inquiry into
vacancies were in major cities; child care system, the purpose of which is to make
• 85per cent of reporting long day care services it more affordable, flexible and accessible.
had at least one vacancy; Terms of reference include consideration of care in
• On average, there were 6,040 reported family the “24 hour economy” (the hours parents work or
day care vacancies across Australia each day. study, or wish to study); subsidising nannies and
the particular needs of rural, regional or remote
The Australia Institute35 concluded that the parents, as well as shift workers
contradictory evidence may be due to a mismatch
between the location of vacancies and demand for Proposed to re-establish the Federal Planning and
child care services, and the Government Advisory Commission to ensure that new services
acknowledges that reported vacancies do not are approved on an as needs basis
reflect waiting lists. Parents complain of the lack Australian Greens
of local services36.
• Committed to access for all children aged 0 to
Australian Labor Party 5.
Field trials of flexible child care (including • Increased financial assistance for child care
overnight and weekend care) with industry, centre programs that offer flexible hours and
business and child care operators to commence in occasional care.
July 2013
• Enhance flexibility by expanding the number
Providing over $190 million in training support of places in the in-home care scheme.
through waiving TAFE fees for diploma in
• Proposed Capital Grants of $200m over 4 years
children’s service, introducing a recognition of
for community and not-for-profit centres to
prior learning program for early childhood
access funds expand and build new centres to
educators and the HECS/HELP Benefit for
reduce long waiting lists.
Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood).
• Proposed a three year pilot of a Micro-Care
Reviewing the Budget Based Funded child care
Scheme, with Commonwealth funding, to help
program and has provided local government
community childcare centres and collectives of
grants and infrastructure funding to improve the
local businesses and workplaces, to set up a
delivery of early childhood education and care in
quality long day care centre on site to provide
areas where child care services would not
care for children of employees.
otherwise be viable.
33 Australian Bureau of Statistics (2010), Australian Social
Trends, Cat. No. 4102.0, June 2010, Commonwealth of
Australia, Canberra.
34 DEEWR (2011b), Child Care Vacancies, Quarterly
Snapshot, p.1.
35 See note 21
36 http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/moved-by-lack-of-
afterschool-care-20130702-2pa0s.html
Women and the Federal Election 2013: Major Party Policies Compared and Contrasted 11Quality Work Force
Awareness around the importance of quality child Early childhood is a heavily feminised industry.
care is increasingly focussed on child care as a There are serious concerns that in our fight to
form of early childhood education, vital for the provide affordable child care, we will create an
healthy social and emotional development of underclass of women workers. Industrial issues,
children and preparedness for kindergarten. including the fight for a professional wage for early
childhood educators and the 180 weekly churn rate
Australian Labor Party are key concerns for women’s organisations. Low
pay, poor promotion prospects and arduous working
• Introduced the National Quality Framework
conditions are critical challenges for the sector.
to establish national standards for staffing
levels and qualifications. Australian Labor Party
• Supported by assistance through the Early • $114 a week pay rise for child care workers
Years Quality Fund. subsidised by Federal Government delivered
• National Partnership Agreement on Early through Enterprise Bargaining Agreements.
Childhood Education setting a goal for • Established a Pay Equity Unit within the Fair
universal access to pre-school for 15hrs per Work Commission to look at wage levels
week for 40 weeks in the year before across the whole children’s services sector,
commencing school. including OHSC.
• $25 billion over the next four years to • Funding to Child Care Industry through the
continue to pursue the Government’s Early Early Years Quality Fund to support
Childhood Agenda. employment of appropriately qualified staff.
• Introduced the Early Years Learning • Training support for staff
Framework (EYLF) to help children to learn
and develop through play and the Framework Coalition
for School Aged Care to guide developmental • Productivity Commission Inquiry to include
programs in OSHC consideration of extending support to care
• Published the quality ratings of child care provided by nannies and au-pairs.
services on the MyChild website. • Opposed the mechanism adopted to deliver pay
Coalition increases through Enterprise Bargaining
Agreements as they’d not apply to all workers.
• The terms of reference of the proposed Pay issues should be addressed through making
Productivity Commission Inquiry includes a a case to the Fair Work Commission.
reworking of the current national Quality
Standards framework and the needs of at-risk • No mention of working conditions for existing
or vulnerable children. workforce.
• Support the National Quality Framework in Australian Greens
principle. Will work with the States to find • Workers in the industry should be fairly
practical ways to improve implementation. remunerated for the work they do. Pay rate
Australian Greens should reflect the skill and importance of the
work. Improved professional development
• Committed to the roll out of the National opportunities should be made available for all
Quality Framework and have called for more workers. Lifting wages will lift quality.
support for the sector as it faces deadlines for
national quality standards. • Have expressed concern that the Early Years
• Quality child care includes having highly- Quality Fund wage rise does not cover all early
trained and fairly renumerated staff in long childhood educators.
day care centres • Expressed full support of the Fair Work
• Announced a fully costed scheme to improve Australia Pay Equity unit for child care
the comparative conditions for teachers in educators and expect that improving wages
long day care and urgently attract more across the sector will be a key focus in the next
graduates. parliament.
National Foundation for Australian Women 12• Recognising the teacher shortage, launched a
policy initiative in early 2013 that would
waive the HELP fees of recent graduates from
early childhood teaching degrees, so that for
every year they stay in the long day care
workforce, a year of their HELP debt would
be removed.
Women and the Federal Election 2013: Major Party Policies Compared and Contrasted 13Education
Author: Julia Ryan
Particularly in relation to schooling, much NFAW notes the high numbers of women in
attention has focused in recent years on Finland teaching and the benefits for them of additional
as a nation that achieves high educational quality, funding and professional support.
equity and productivity. But this achievement in
The comparisons between the policies of the three
education occurs in a wider social and economic
major parties listed below were compiled from a
context. Finland is among the fairest countries in
variety of sources, including the May 2013 Budget
the world in terms of wealth distribution and in
papers, Hansard, the websites of the parties and
the sharing of power between women and men.
recent media releases by the parties. The table
According to Pasi Sahlberg:
compares policies across the three major sectors of
If there is a lesson from Finland to others it is: education and a further consideration of education
Better gender equality helps in building policies which affect access and equity for women
consensus and thereby adopting education and and girls.
social policies that invest more heavily on
wellbeing and holistic development of children at References
home and school.
Australian Labor Party
Sahlberg warns against the corporate reform
movement that relies on injecting business ideas www.budget.gov.au/2013-
and funding into schools to promote tougher 14/content/glossy/gonski_policy/download/NPSI.p
consumer choice and competition between df
schools, confrontation with teacher unions and www.Australian Labor Party.org.au/education
punitive forms of accountability. He argues that
www.Australian Labor
protecting schools from this movement requires
Party.org.au/the_facts_on_university_funding
closing the gender gap in political power and
influence and that without greater female Coalition
empowerment, the next generation will not
flourish as it should. Real Solutions for All Australians, Liberal Party
(http://pasisahlberg.com/why-gender-equality- Media release, “The Coalition will provide funding
matters-in-school-reform/). certainty for schools” 2 August 2013
Recently the Grattan Institute’s School Education Australian Greens
Program released a report entitled The myth of www.Australian Greens.org.au/sites/Australian
markets in school education showing that neither Greens.org.au/files/School%20funding_0.pdf
competition between schools, nor school
autonomy, improved performance for Australian www.Australian Greens.org.au/sites/Australian
students. This report can be found at Greens.org.au/files/higher_ed_10_percent.pdf
www.grattan.edu.au. Senator Penny Wright, Second reading speech on
In May 2013 the Australian Industry Group the Australian Education Bill, 26 June 2013
issued a report which noted that ‘75% of the
fastest growing occupations require Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
(STEM) skills” and urged ‘ a major rethink’ of
Australian education at all levels to address this
problem. The NFAW notes that while the
Australian population as a whole is under-
educated in STEM disciplines, women and girls
are even more disadvantaged than men and boys.
The NFAW also considers that the majority of
women may be excluded from the fastest growing
occupations unless their STEM education is
addressed.
National Foundation for Australian Women 14Schools
Australian Labor Party Implementing the Australian Education Act to give
effect to funding reform based on the following
Labor Government has detailed costed plans for
principles:
the future of the early childhood education.
• National standards for school resources based
National Plan for School Improvement
on the recommendations of the Gonski Report
The plan includes:
• Common per capita standard for students in all
• A national curriculum primary schools and students in all secondary
schools
• Further development of current national
assessment program based on national • Loadings: relating to low SES students;
curriculum to include Science assessment (see indigenous students; limited English skills;
below); new standards to enable schools and students with disabilities; school location and
parents to track progress against national size.
benchmarks and compare with international
• Commonwealth to phase in funding increases
results; extended exposure to Asian studies
over 6 years with the bulk of the funding to be
including languages.
provided over the final two years.
• Modernise national framework for VET in
• Formal agreements with states and territories
schools.
involving full implementation of the national
• Ongoing teacher training resource standards:
• Higher entry standards and better pre-service • Indexation of existing funding (the base) by
training for new teachers, including national 4.7 per cent per annum
approach to practice teaching with minimum
• States to index their base funding by 3 per cent
of 80 hours in the classroom before
per annum and provide their share of additional
graduation and specified numeracy and
needs funding for government and non-
literacy standards.
government schools (based on a 2 for 1 sharing
• More support in the early years of teaching, deal between the C’wealth and States) For
including through greater use of mentors. States unwilling to enter into formal
agreements: indexation of existing funding by
• Enhancing performance and professional
3 per cent per annum.
development of all teachers under the new
Australian Professional Standards for • Schools already operating above the resource
Teachers. Every teacher entitled to annual standards, Commonwealth to index base
performance review. funding by 3 percent per annum
• Strengthening school leadership through a • In the 2012-13 budget Federal Labor funded a
principal performance and development $54 million suite of projects to address skill
framework and greater local authority. shortages in maths and science, this included:
• Better communication with parents • National leadership to drive inspirational and
high quality teaching in maths and science,
• Evidence-based improvement; national data
collections, analysis and research capability; • national initiatives to set new benchmarks for
charting progress against the 2025 target of raising the engagement, curiosity and
Australia’s results being in top 5 of OECD; participation of students at primary and
and national research plan for school secondary school levels
education
• National leadership to promote sustained
• Funding based on student needs awareness of mathematics, science and
statistics targeted at industry, school and higher
education sectors.
• The inclusion of science into National
Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy
(NAPLAN) will begin in 2015, for students in
Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, to run concurrently with
Women and the Federal Election 2013: Major Party Policies Compared and Contrasted 15current NAPLAN tests in literacy and • Amend the Education Act to reduce
numeracy. Commonwealth accountability requirements so
that ‘States, Territories and non-government
Coalition sectors keep authority for their schools’
From Real Solutions for All Australians – RSAL without Labor requirement for States to
maintain their own base funding or to
• Better schools and greater choice for parents
contribute a share of the new “Gonski’
through devolution of decision-making from
funding.
system to school level.
• Work with all States and Territories to
• Taking power from hands of ‘unaccountable
negotiate a fair and sustainable funding model
bureaucrats’ and giving it to principals and
for after that period
parents in individual schools.
The Coalition will establish a capital infrastructure
• Encouraging state schools to become
fund for schools when the budget is brought back
independent schools:
to strong surplus to help new schools or to allow
• To give principals, teachers and parents a existing schools in the most need to access funding
greater say over running their schools. The
By 2023, the Coalition wants 40 per cent of Year
Coalition sees the WA Independent Public
12 students studying a foreign language, preferably
Schools model is a good example, which
an Asian language.
gives enhanced community role through
school boards and local decision-making Australian Greens
processes, but that does not allow
• The salaries and conditions of teachers, early
Independent Public Schools to be selective
childhood educators and other educators
about enrolment or charge tuition fees like
should be set at a level that recognises their
non-government schools.
professionalism, training and the importance of
• Remove Schoolkids Bonus, described as “a their work, provides secure career structures,
cash splash with borrowed money that has and encourages committed and capable people
nothing to do with education”. into the teaching profession at all levels of the
Curriculum education system.
Support teachers to make sure curriculum is • Early childhood education is a critical
rigorous without being prescriptive or component of lifelong learning and should be
overcrowded; re-write history curriculum to provided by government and accredited
review its ‘black armband view” (The Australian, community organizations and not-for profit
22/4/13) and place more emphasis on Judaeo- providers.
Christian heritage. Funding
More investment in science education in primary (The Australian Greens, Education is Opportunity,
schools and restore Primary Connection program 2013)
Tackle cyber-bullying. The Coalition’s Online • Bring forward the ‘Gonski’ funding reforms to
Safety Working Group Discussion Paper was help bring public schools up to the Schooling
released in November 2012 and canvassed a Resource Standard sooner – commit an extra
range of issues about ways we can help children $2 billion over the forward estimates
to safely participate in the online world.
• Direct the additional funding to where it is
Continue School Chaplaincy program needed most, Including better assistance for
• Funding (see Liberal Party Media release, students with disabilities
“The Coalition will provide funding certainty • Implement a funding model that would ensure
for schools” 2 August 2013). that all resources of a schools are taken into
• Match Labor commitment to Commonwealth account in determining needi
funding to schools, including the loadings for • Require schools to report their assets, income,
disadvantage, for the first four years of the fees and other resources in their accountability
Labor’s six year commitment (ie for the documentsii
forward estimates period), including to
systems that have not yet signed a formal
commitment with the Rudd Government.
National Foundation for Australian Women 16Vocational Education and Training
Public Schooling Australian Labor Party
‘Passionate’ advocacy for public schools The May 2013 Budget confirmed funding for
• Independent national authority National Entitlement to Training, guaranteed under
the National Partnership for Skills and Workforce
• Support Gonski recommendation to establish
Development with reward funds of $1.75 billion
an independent expert national schools
for states and territories. The COAG Agreement on
resourcing body (Senator Penny Wright,
‘Entitlement’ had earlier been signed by Prime
Second reading speech on the Australian
Minister Gillard with state and territory Premiers
Education Bill, 26 June 2013)
and Chief Ministers, in April 2012.
• Anti-discrimination
Labor will invest $30.6 million over two years in
• Require all non-government schools to training and improving the skills of 5,800 extra
comply with antidiscrimination law (Senator services workers, such as early childhood
Penny Wright, Second reading speech on the educators, nurses, allied health professionals,
Australian Education Bill, 26 June 2013)37 disability support carers and case managers.
The Australian Greens will increase the provision Coalition
of qualified mental health counsellors and social
workers in schools, incorporating mental health The Coalition established a working group to
and wellbeing and physical health promotion into investigate and recommend policies regarding
schools’ curriculum, and offer a grants program Online Higher Education.
for community and student wellbeing programs. The Coalition will work with the higher education
sector to reduce ‘red tape’ and grow the
international education sector.
The Coalition will review student income support
from the Australian Government to rural and
regional students who face hurdles in accessing a
tertiary education.
Australian Greens
• A publicly owned and properly funded TAFE
system plays an essential role in providing
economic prosperity and a socially just society
by offering lifelong educational opportunities
and skills development to a broad range of our
community.
• Vocational education and training (VET)
should be primarily provided through the
public TAFE system while the community and
not-for-profit VET sector should also be
supported.
• A fee and charges free TAFE system, where
income contingent loans are unnecessary and
the Commonwealth government increases its
contribution to the costs of a high quality
accessible system.
• Improved access to comprehensive publicly
provided tertiary education for rural, regional
and remote communities.
• Increased funding to the tertiary sector and
maintenance of sufficient student places to
Women and the Federal Election 2013: Major Party Policies Compared and Contrasted 17You can also read
