Hughes MP Jenny Ware: Addressing the gap in women's super

MP JENNY WARE

HUGHES MP Jenny Ware talks about women's super gap and pharmacies dispensing policy. 

“In the last Parliamentary sitting fortnight I focused on two important issues for our community and our country: the importance of Australian women's workforce participation and ensuring the long-term future of our com- munity pharmacies. 

“When Australian women do well, their families do well and our nation does well.  recent years, a more flexible workforce has provided Australian women with more choices about how, where and when they work enabling them to make the best decisions around raising a family, pursuing a career and caring for aged parents or relatives. 

“It is therefore disheartening to see a recent escalation in the number of Australian women facing poverty in retirement, mainly due to the significant superannuation gap between men and women. On average, Australian women retire with 47 per cent less superannuation than men. This disparity is often linked to the time women take off work for childbirth and raising children. 

“Although Australia has had a government paid parental leave scheme since 2011, it still does not include the superannuation guarantee. This means that employers are not required to pay superannuation during the paid parental leave period. 

“The Women's Economic Equality Taskforce, Workplace Gender Equality Agency, and Productivity Commission have all recommended compulsory superannuation payments during parental leave, yet no action has been taken to implement this. 

“The exclusion of superannuation from the Paid Parental Leave scheme becomes even more problematic when women return to work part-time after their parental leave. This results in lower superannuation earnings due to reduced income. The gender pay gap is also more significant in part-time roles, creating further inequalities in retirement incomes for those providing unpaid care, which are often women. 

“Additionally the limited availability of part-time employment in senior management roles - around 10 per cent - further hinders women's advancement in their careers when they are also carers. This lack of opportunities contributes to lower overall superannuation for women. 

“While it is encouraging to see recent improvements in women's workforce participation, the superannuation gap and the absence of superannuation on paid parental leave are major impediments to Australian women's longer-term financial security. 

“Women should not suffer financial penalties for making choices around starting and raising families. We have the means to rectify this situation, and it is time for the government to take concrete steps towards a more equitable future for all Australian women. 

“I have previously written about the community pharmacy sector and its importance to Australia's healthcare delivery system. The Federal Government's proposed 60-day dispensing policy has stalled in the Senate. 

“Pharmacists play a crucial role in providing primary healthcare services and medical advice to many Australians. The current model operates under the 7CPA agreement, which is set to expire in June 2025 and ensures remuneration for pharmacists in exchange for their community services. 

“I support cheaper medicines for Australians. However, as presently proposed, the Albanese Labor Government's policy will mean that pharmacists will be subsiding the dispensing fee savings through their own primary incomes. 

“This is not fair or right. 

“The Coalition strongly supports providing Australians with access to affordable medicines as a vital cost-of-living relief measure. However, the Albanese Labor Government's implementation of the 60-day dispensing change without proper consultation and modelling is concerning. This oversight raises legitimate questions about the implications for pharmacists and patients. 

“In good faith, the Albanese Labor Government should negotiate a new Community Pharmacy Agreement to address these concerns and uphold the existing agreement. Achieving affordable medicines, especially for our vulnerable, and a thriving community pharmacy sector should not be mutually exclusive.

Published by The Leader Newspaper on 16 August 2023.