PRIME MINISTER 2 MARCH 1990
THE NATIONAL AGEND) A FOR WOMEN MAINTAINING THE MOMENTUM
I take this opporl: unity to reaffirm my Government's deep
commitment to equitlity of opportunity for women.
Today I announce * i range of initiatives to maintain the
momentum of our hLstoric National Agenda for Women.
The Agenda embodi' 2s my Government's commitment to the goals
of economic securtty and independence, equality of
opportunity and freedom from discrimination for all the
women of Australia: young women, women as they contribute to
Australia's econonic and social development and women with
special needs.
Our commitment to women is founded on the belief that the
nation as a whole can only reach its full potential by
ensuring that women half of the population have A SAY,
A CHOICE AND A FAIER GO.
My Government has demonstrated its commitment to Australian
women and their families by developing policies to give new
opportunities in child care, education, employment,
superannuation, income security, housing, health and aged
care. We are proud of the record. There is much more to be done.
Workers with Family RRponsjbAJltig
Today I announce that we will ratify the International
Labour Organisation Convention on Workers with Family
Responsibilities. Following ratification, Australia will be required to report
regularly to the ILO on its progressive implementation to
improve the conditions for workers with family
responsibilities. 809
A
jak
Important are is f or attention will include parental leave,
more flexible working hours, more work related child care,
career paths for part-time workers and the removal of
discriminator,-. practices against workers with family
responsibilities. To support thu! Convention, we will establish within the
Department of Industrial Relations a Work and Family Unit
with an annua'! budget of S200,000. The Unit will work with
employers, employees and unions to improve attitudes and
practices in : he workplace.
Further, we wll1 introduce a community education program
with funding i~ f $ 100,000 per annum to educate workers,
unions and employers about their respective rights and
responsibilit. ies. That campaign will be co-ordinated by the
Office of the Status of Women.
Women's 1{ ealthj
Women have spitcial health needs. We will continue to
expand, improwe and target services in recognition of those
special needs.
Tragically mo). e than 2,300 Australian women die each year
from breast cincer.
We will estab~ iish a National Program for the Early Detection
of Breast Canc~ er in co-operation and consultation with
States and Teriritories and Anti-Cancer Councils. It will be
phased in over five years. This will be done in line with
the final eva. l. uation report and recommendations due in June
1990 to the Australian Health Minister's Advisory Council.
The Program will provide a comprehensive National Early
Detection Program for those women most at risk those
and over and will include screening, assessment and
counselling to ensure early detection and treatment.
Studies indicite that a high quality early detection and
treatment progjram could lead to a reduction in mortality
rates of about 16% saving around 370 lives per year.
A National Early Detection Program is considered the most
effective approach to reducing not only the mortality but
also the personal anguish associated with breast cancer. An
alternative would have been to allow Medicare benefits to
women wanting mammograms without prior diagnosis. Expert
medical and scientific advice, however, is that this would
not ensure a high quality service targeted at those most at
risk. Medicai. e benefits will remain available for
diagnostic mammograms.
We have allocated $ 64 million over the first three years of
the program. The Australian Government will fully fund the
$ 14 million additional cost of the program in year one and
will contribute $ 20 million towards the program in year two
and $ 30 million in year three.
I
DnmeninVilec My Government recogniises its responsibility to encourage
changes in community attitudes which still condone or ignore
domestic violence. To follow on from the current 3 year
National Domestic Violence Education Program I shall
establish a high level Commonwealth/ State Committee on
Violence Against Womien with funding of $ 1.35 million over 3
years. The Committrie will continue the work of changing
community attitudes and take on a policy development,
education, research and co-ordination role as well.
New Ministerial Fnriuu
I propose to establish a new forum to provide formal
ministerial consult; tion on women's issues. This will be
achieved by a twice yearly meeting of a Commonwealth-State
Ministerial Forum ozi the status of women. It will enable
better sharing of iniformation, and co-ordination of
policies, especially on those issues which cross
State/ Commonwealth 1, Territory boundaries.
Additional Fuinding ' oar Women's Projects
I will increase the annual funding for the National Agenda
for Women Grants Program to $ 500,000 an increase of
$ 200,000. Operationzal grants made under the Program
recognise the important role of national women's
I organisations in enhancing the status of women. Project
grants are made to community organisations to undertake
activities which address the action plans in the National
Agenda for Women.
Additional annual fiinding of S50,000 will be provided to the
Office of the Status of Women for administrative support of
the ministerial forum and the Grants Program.
Women Of Non-Englist Sneaking Rarkgrotin
In January 1990 the Minister for Immigration, Local
Government and Ethnic Affairs announced the first of a
series of grants under the Migrant Access Projects Scheme
( MAPS). Many of these will benefit women.
As part of the seconzd round of MAPS I am pleased to announce
grants for three projects targeting women from Non-English
Speaking Background ( NESB) under this existing program:
$ 100,000 over two years for Fairfield Council to assist
newly arrived NESB women to gain better access to
mainstream child care services; r58.1.1
4.
$ 100,00,) over two years for the Adult Migrant Education
Service of NSW to develop strategies to deliver
service,; to clothing industry outworkers in
particuLar, English language courses containing
informa'ion on occupational health and safety and
employm'int and training services;
$ 50,000 for the Centre Against Sexual Assault,
Melbour~ ie, to assist newly arrived NESB women gain
greater access to family intervention services by
developing information training material for migrant
service-; and setting up a network of professionals.
To further f. icilitate improving the position of NESB women
an additionaL $ 36,000 over two years ($ 9,000 year one,
$ 27,000 ye: tr two) has been allocated to the
Commonwealth/ State Council on Non-English Speaking
Background Wo. men's Issues.
This supplem,. nts my announcement in July 1989 of $ 100,000 pa
for two year:; for the Council provided through the National
Agenda for a Multicultural Australia.
Aboriginal Aid Torres Strait Islander. WosDen
Aboriginal W,) men play a very important leadership role in
their commun.. ties. Lois O'Donoghue's appointment as head of
the Aborigin-il and Torres Strait Islander Commission
exemplifies this.
My Government: will introduce the National Aboriginal and
Torres Strail: Islander Family Support Program.
The program iill have two components:
a grant:; program for family support projects with an
emphasi:; on family violence; and
production and distribution of resource materials.
The Family Support program will be the focus of the
Department of Aboriginal Affairs Women's Initiatives Program
over the next two years at a cost of S700,000 pa.
Young Women
We have helped ensure that two out of every three students
complete year 12 compared to only one out of three in 1982.
However, gir) s' subject choices and experiences in some
subjects can leave them less well equipped than boys to
compete fully in the labour market.
We will fund one of the most extensive reforms of schools
curricula in Australia. In close co-operation with State
and Territory Education Ministers, we will provide $ 3
million over three years to make curricula in our schools
equally relevant to girls and boys.
rnne-11uin
My Government has developed and implemented comprehensive
initiatives for Australian women and their families. They
fit together in a strategy of practical, commonsense reform.
I repeat my personal commitment and the commitment of my
Government to genuine equality of opportunity for women.
Our vision is for an Australia in which women can live their
lives free of the fear of violence, free of discrimination:
an Australia which has removed all those economic and social
barriers which deny the women of Australia the fullest
possible opportunity for choice in their lives and careers.
ATTACHMENT
NATIONAL AGENDA FOR WOMEN
TABLE OF COSTINGR 1990-1 1991-2 1992-3
Sm Sm Sm
PART A! NEW FUJNDS ALrOCATFn
Workers with Family
Responsibilities Initiatives
Work and Family Unit
Community Education
National Program for Early
Detection of Breast Cancer
Commonwealth/ State C'tee
and Campaign on Violence
Against Women
Extension of Women's Grants
Programs and establishment of
Ministerial Forum
National Curriculum Reform
initiative
PART A: Sub Total
PART _ R EXISTING FUNDS ALLOCATED
3 MAPS Projects for NESB
Women and supplementation
of C/ S NESB Women's Council
National Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander
Family Support Program
PART B: Sub Total
TOTAL A and B Commitments
Announced 2 March 1990 0.2 0.2 0.2
0.1 0.1
14.0 20.0 30.0
0.45 0.45 0.45
0.25 0.25 0.25
1.0 1.0
16.0 22.0 32.0
= n = a m
0.159 0.127
0.7 0.7
0.859 0.827 nil
16.859 22.827 32.0
,58 14
THE NATIONAL AGENlrt FOR WOMEN MAINTAINING THE MOMENTUM
DETAILED STATEMENT 2 MARCH 1990
This Statement enebles me to reaffirm my personal commitment
that equality of opportunity for women is vital for every
one of us: men, women and children, both as members of
families and individuals.
After coming into Government in 1983 we undertook an active
domestic and intei national role in reviewing policies to
raise the status of women. In February 1988 I launched our
plan of action foi advancing the status of women towards the
year 2000 the Nrtional Agenda for Women. This was the
result of more than 2 years of consultation with some 25,000
women around Australia.
The National Agend! a for Women has set in place a
comprehensive ranaie of policies which aim to give women the
opportunity to coittribute to the future development of our
nation. My Government is c: ommitted to ensuring that its policies and
programs enable w( omen to live with economic security and
independence, fre-idom from discrimination and equality of
opportunity in al. spheres of activity. We are ensuring
that women's need; are taken fully into account in the
development and atministration of Government policies and
programs. Women miust have a say, a choice and a fair go and
they must have th,! se things regardless of their cultures,
language, age or family circumstances.
Australia was the first country in the world to develop a
comprehensive policy document for improving the status of
women. The Natioqal Agenda for Women, and more importantly
the progress that has been made in realising its objectives,
are regarded as a model for the rest of the world.
The Hawke Governmeont has demonstrated its commitment to
Australian women and their families by developing policies
to give new opportunities in child care, housing, health and
aged care. our record is second to none. Some of our
important achievements to date include:
a more than doubling of the number of child care places
from 46,000 in 1983 to 114,000 in December 1989. By
the end of the National Child Care Strategy in 1992 we
will have more than trebled the number of places;
creation of 1.6 million jobs since April 1983, 57% of
which have gone to women. The proportion of women in
the labour force is now over 50% for the first time in
Australia's history; 5r815
2.
completioni of a full secondary education by girls has
increased rapidly two out of every three girls now
complete year 12;
the introduction of a long term retirement incomes
strategy (: overing increased pensions and improved
access to superannuation;
the histo;-ic restructuring of family payments through
which we will spend $ 3.5 billion this financial year
directly |, enefiting over 3.59 million children through
Family Allowances and, through the Family Allowance
Supplemen:, providing on average $ 50 tax free a week to
over 500,000 families with 1.2 million children;
the introduction of the Jobs, Education and Training
( JET) pro( Iram specifically to assist sole parents gain
employment and education more than 52% of sole
mothers ave now working, up from 38% in 1983;
funding for housing for the most disadvantaged has
dramaticaily increased, including a trebling of rent
assistanc( t;
a $ 43 mil ion Commonwealth/ State program to implement
the Nation-al Women's Health Strategy;
our aged care strategy meets the concerns of elderly
women thrc ugh emphasis on home and community care
services much more suited to their circumstances.
Last week the Treasurer announced a range of further
substantial futdamental reforms covering taxation, social
security, industrial relations, superannuation and labour
market programE,.
These initiati~ es build on our outstanding economic and
social justice record. The Treasurer's announcement of
superannuation changes will significantly assist women whose
previous low membership of schemes has contributed to their
dependence on Ihe age pension. Award based superannuation
is an essentia] method of providing superannuation to the
majority of women.
These and othez reforms undertaken through award
restructuring, occupational health and safety, equal
employment and anti-discrimination legislation have
fundamentally changed the nature of women's participation
in, and contribution to, Australia's development.
We intend to improve on these achievements with initiatives
designed to build on our employment and health strategies.
r81
3.
Workers with Family Res . ibIities
I am pleased to ann,, unce that we will ratify the
International Labou. Organisation Convention on Workers and
Family Responsibili: ies ( see Attachment The aim of the
Convention is to co-imit Governments to making it a
fundamental objecti-' e of policy to enable workers with
family responsibili ies who are employed or who wish to be
employed to do so w thout discrimination.
All States and Terr. tories are finalising their positions on
joining with the Coiinonwealth in ratifying the Convention.
Western Australia, " ictoria, South Australia and Tasmania
have formally agreed. I should note here that Western
Australia was the f!. rst State by 5 years to agree to
ratification.
Many workers have ftmily responsibilities, but since women
have mainly carried those responsibilities, their rapidly
increasing workforc.! participation has moved the issue onto
the labour reform a-lenda for all workers.
Close to 50% of all married women are in the workforce, and
the most significan: growth area in the labour market is
women re-entering aFter having children. Of women in paid
work 49% have depen. lent children. Many others have
responsibility for , geing family members.
The majority of emp'oyees men and women are balancing
their work commitmeits with family responsibilities. The
efficiency of these workers is dependent on new workplace
arrangements and at': itudes which recognise their family
responsibilities.
We believe that suci arrangements and attitudes will reduce
absenteeism and turiover and related costs. Even more
importantly, improv ng the relationship between workers and
the workplace incre. ises incentives for skills acquisition.
ILO 156 is a Convention that calls for staged
implementation, and regular reports of progress towards its
objectives. This mians that by ratifying the Convention,
Australia commits itself to a program of work in support of
workers with family responsibilities.
This Government has already started that work. We have
undertaken legislative reform to address discrimination
against women, discrimination which is often grounded on
family responsibilities.
At present in the public sector, paid maternity leave is
available at the Conmonwealth level and in several States
and Territories. Women in the other States have access to
unpaid maternity leave if they are permanent employees.
Women in the privat: u sector achieved the right to unpaid
maternity leave folLowing a test case successfully mounted
by the Australian Council of Trade Unions ( ACTU) in 1979. [ 7
The existence of leave for fathers, so that they can share
equally in the ca-re of children, is seen as the next major
step toward improving women's employment opportunities. The
Commonwealth and most State governments are supporting a
parental leave test case currently being mounted by the
ACTU. The case would extend parental leave to the private
sector, and is being heard before a full bench of the
Industrial Relations Commission.
Other measures to assist workers with family
responsibilities include the availability of permanent
part-time work i'i the public sector so that workers can
change to a part -time basis ( with the agreement of their
employers) when !. heir family responsibilities are heaviest,
without losing tVie benefits of permanent employment
( including super innuation). This was pioneered in South
Australia and wa; introduced by the Commonwealth as part of
public service r'bforms in the mid-1980s. Flexible working
hours in the pub . ic sector has been another reform of
benefit to worke s with family responsibilities.
We have also und : rtaken a massive expansion in the
Children's Servi*: es Program.
We have establis and the Jobs, Education and Training Program
for sole parents
But ratification means far more than a series of individual
initiatives, how' ! ver important each of those initiatives may
be on its own.
By ratifying ILO 156 we have put workers with family
responsibilities on the national agenda. We have recognised
in a formal and public way that the long tern interests of
families, worker:; and employers are dependent on improving
the link between workers and workplace.
To support the ra~ tification of the Convention, we will
establish within the Department of Industrial Relations a
Work and Family U'nit with an annual budget of $ 200,000 to
work with employexrs, employees and unions to continue the
process of makinr the necessary shift in attitudes and
practices in the workplace.
We will introduce a community education program with funding
of $ 100,000 per vnnum tos educate workers, unions and
employers about iheir respective rights and
responsibilities. That campaign will be co-ordinated by the
Office of the Stztus of Women.
These measures will identify important next steps necessary
for Australia to meet the commitments laid down in ILO 156.
Further, the National Women's Consultative Council's ILO 156
Conference in Melbourne today is bringing together key women
to discuss the Ccnvention in the Australian context.
i 18
yWpmon'n Health
Without good health for themselves and their families,
women'sa choices and opportunities are limited. In working
towards enabling Auv; tralian women to have real equality of
opportunity, my Govornment recognises the importance of
enhancing their overall wellbeing.
By establishing and protecting Medicare we are providing the
foundation for ensuring that all Australians have equal
access to good quality health care.
Undeniably, women have special health needs. Women are the
major users of medical and hospital services.*
In 1985 the 700 womon attending the second national
conference on " Womeii's Health in a Changing Society"
resolved that a national women's health policy should be
developed. In November of that year when I announced the
development of the lational Agenda, it included a commitment
to a National Women's Health Policy.
Extensive consultation followed. Australian women
identified the need for a more preventative and holistic
approach to health zis well as a range of specific issues
including the health needs of women as carers, access to
family planning services and alternative arrangements for
childbirth. The policy was endorsed by the Commonwealth and
State Health Ministers in 1989.
The National Women's: Health Program, with funding of $ 43
million, includes a four-year cost-sharing arrangement with
State governments to increase the number of women's
community health centres; to improve education for health
consumers and to improve professional information, education
and training on women's health.
The Commonwealth government is providing financial
incentives to State and Territory governments to reorganise
birthing services and to provide alternatives to specialist
dominated hospital birthing services. States will be
encouraged to provide a range of options, including
midwife-assisted home-birth.
Substantial funding is now provided by the Commonwealth
government to non-government family planning services rum by
the Family Planning Association in all States and
Territories and to the Catholic Social Welfare Commission
for the Natural Family Planning Program. There is a special
emphasis on reaching disadvantaged groups, and for example,
in 1988 funding was approved to survey the family planning
needs of recently arrived Lebanese, Turkish and Vietnamese
women.
Breast cancer is a disease which is killing more than 2,300
women each year. 1; tudies indicate that a high quality early
detection and trea;-ment program could lead to a reduction in
mortality rates of about 16% saving around 370 lives per
year. I am pleased there ( ore ta announce that we intend to
establish a Nationil Program for the Early Detection of
Breast Cancer in co-operation and consultation with States
and Territories. Et will be phased in over five years in
line with the final evaluation report and recommendations
due in June 1990 t3 the Australian Health Minister's
Advisory Council Breast Cancer Screening Evaluation Steering
Committee. Our decision to pioceed with a National Early Detection
Program follows piloting and evaluation over the past three
years of various approaches. The recent preliminary
evaluation report from the Australian Institute of Health
based on the pilol projects has recommended that a national
approach be adopted.
The preliminary rF-port confirms trials which have been
conducted oversea.-and which have led to the introduction of
similar programs in countries such as Britain, France,
Finland, Holland z-nd Sweden.
This initiative will provide for a comprehensive National
Early Detection Piogram for those women most at risk those
aged 40 and over -and will include screening, assessment
and counselling enable early treatment.
The exact scope ol the program and its operational details
will be finalised in consultation with the States and
Territories after receipt of the final evaluation report in
June. We expect that thie current infrastructure related to the
pilot projects wi* l form the basis of the national program.
We have allocated S64 million over the first three years of
the program. The Australian Government will fully fund the
$ 14 million addit:. onal cost of the program in year one and
will contribute V2O million towards the program in year two
and $ 30 million in~ year three. It is intended that the
program will be 50: 50 cost shared with the States after the
first year.
It will also include the Rural Breast Cancer Screening
Program announced last December. Under that initiative the
Commonwealth will provide $ 2.8 million this year to States
for the purchase of mobile units.
r-82 0
7.
A National Early Detection Program is considered the most
effective approach to reducing not only the mortality but
also the personal anguish associated with breast cancer. An
alternative would have been to allow Medicare benefits to
women wanting mamnograms without prior diagnosis. Expert
medical and scientific advice, however, is that this would
not ensure a high quality service targeted at those most at
risk. Medicare be3nef its will remain available for
diagnostic mammog rams.
nnmntin_ Vlnne~
Intrinsically linked with women's overall wellbeing and
their ability to 1: ake advantage of choices and
opportunities, is their physical safety on a day to day
basis, enabling them to live without violence in their
homes. Our three-year Nal: ional Domestic Violence Education Program
which will be completed this year, has made significant
progress in breaking the silence on this all too often
hidden problem. Through the Supported Accommodation
Assistance Prograw we will provide in 1989-90 $ 23.6 million
for 310 refuges anid other services for women and their
children escaping domestic violence.
We recognise, howcver, that these achievements must be
backed up now witli high level co-ordination and consultation
and a program of community education to change attitudes and
behaviour. The research undertaken in the first two years of the
Program demonstrated that almost 50% of Australians know
someone involved In domestic violence; one in five condone
the use of physical force by a man against his female
partner in some circumstances: one in three regard domestic
violence as a private matter. These are appalling
statistics. The Education Program has been very successful in developing
community awareness of domestic violence and has begun the
slow process of achieving attitude and behavioural change.
It has demonstrated both the need for community education
and the potential of a strategy of this kind.
The Program has also underlined the need for a high-level
Committee to address Commonwealth-State issues such as lack
of similarity of legislative measures and police practice.
I am pleased to announce that we will provide funding of
S1.35 million over three years to fund a Commonwealth/ State
Committee on Violence Against Women and further community
education and research.
The Commonwealth-State Committee on Violence Against Women
will:
enable State, Territory and Federal Governments to
share expertise and policy responses on violence
against women
assist the co-ordination and development of policy,
programs and legislation on a national basis
guide and commission research required for effective
policy mahing and to further community awareness
co-ordinate further community education on a national
scale.
This initiative forms part of the National Agenda for Women,
responding to 1he high level of concern over domestic
violence revealed in the national consultations on the
Agenda. New Ministpria Forum
The development of my Government's initiatives on domestic
violence, and indeed on policies which affect women
generally, has been founded on broad-based consultation with
women in the co'mmunity. The National Women's Consultative
Council is our principal mechanism for community
consultation. Australia remains in the forefront internationally in regard
to the govern( nt machinery established to ensure that
status of womeni issues are given full consideration.
We will establish a new forum for formal ministerial
consultation, a twice yearly meeting of a Commonwealth-State
Ministerial Forum on the status of women. It will allow
better sharing of information and co-ordination of policies
especially on t: hose issues which cross State/ Commonwealth
and Territory boundaries.
Such a forum will1 help to fulfil the commitment we set
ourselves under the National Agenda for Women to ensure that
women's needs .' re taken fully into account in the
development and administration of Government policies and
programs. Additional Funding for Women's Proiects
we will also increase the annual funding for the National
Agenda for Wometn Grants Program to S500,000 from the current
level of S300,000. Operational grants made under the
Program recognise the important role of national women's
organisations: project grants are made to community
organisations to undertake activities which address action
plans in the National Agenda.
The Grants Program has proved very successful in funding a
wide range of projects which address the social and economic
position of women. For this year's funding of $ 300,000 over
500 applications have been received.
2:
9.
Additional annual. funding of $ 50,000 will be provided to the
Office of the St; ttus of Women for the administrative support
necessary for th! Ministerial Forum and the Grants Program.
Women from Non-E. glish Speaking Background ( NES)
Representing the interests and needs of Australian women
means recognisinij and acknowledging the special needs of
particular group::.
The National Ageiida for Women recognises the major
contribution mado by women of NESB to society and the
barriers they face to full participation. One of its main
objectives is to promote an environment in which women of
non-English speaking background can enjoy the same status in
Australian society as other Australian women, including an
equal share in oummunity resources and equal access to
programs and services. Areas identified already to achieve
this include con:; ultation, English language learning, and
recognition of overseas qualifications.
Towards this end major initiatives to be funded at a total
cost of $ 58 mill . on over the next 3 years and up to
million in total under the national Agenda for a
Multicultural Au', tralia were launched by me on 26 July 1989.
Key Multicultura! Agenda initiatives of special relevance to
women included:
increased aonual funding of the Adult Migrant Education
Program ( AMEP) geared to the needs of recently arrived
migrant women particularly those seeking work. The
additional resources cover initiatives such as
improvements to the English by correspondence course,
enhancement of the English in the Workplace Program,
and increased child care.
developing Cor SBS television an English at Work series
and expansion of SBS to eight additional centres.
developing new arrangements for recognising overseas
qualifications, including the expansion of bridging
courses. developing iippropriate systems to monitor the
appointment of women, Aboriginal and NESB Australians
and people with disabilities to statutory and other
bodies.
In January 1990 the Minister for Immigration, Local
Government and Ethnic Affairs announced the first of a
series of grants under the Migrant Access Projects Scheme
( MAPS). The objective of MAPS is to meet the priority needs
of migrants, especially recent arrivals and to help them
move from migrant specific services to those generally
available in the community. Women are a priority group for
MAPS. 8 2 3
j
As part of the second round of MAPS I am pleased to announce
under this existing program funding for three MAPS projects
targeting NESS women:
$ 100,000 over two years for Fairfield Council to assist
newly arrived NESB women to gain batter access to
mainstream child care services;
$ 100,000 over two years for the Adult Migrant Education
Services of NSW to develop strategies to deliver
services to clothing industry outworkers: in
particular, English language courses containing
information on occupational health and safety and
employment and training services;
$ 50S, 000 Eor the Centre Against Sexual Assault,
Melbourne, to assist newly arrived NESS women gain
greater access to family intervention services.
To improve further the status of NESE women an additional
$ 36,000 over two years has been allocated to the
Commonwealth/ 3tate Council on Non-English Speaking
Background Womuen's issues.
Abori4ginal and Torresq Stirait T-alander Women
The National Agenda for Women set down as key objectives the
need to addre's further the disadvantages faced by
Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. Both documents pay
particular attention to the needs and cultural traditions of
women, and thq provision of equal access to all Government,
programs as well as special programs. Aboriginal women
identified thair major areas of concern as: health and
housing; excessive alcohol consumption and the linkage with
domestic violeince and disruption of traditional community
life; more effective consultation and participation in
decision-making; and the need for culturally appropriate
information about government services and programs.
My Government will introduce the $ 700,000 National
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Support
Program, whichi will have two components:
grants program for family support projects with an
emphasis on family violence projects;
production and distribution of resource materials.
It has become apparent, from consultations with Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander women, independently of and also
in conjunction with the National Domestic Violence Education
program, that family violence in Aboriginal Australia is a
serious concern.
11.
The Commonwealth will allocate $ 700,000 from ongoing funds
for each financial year 1990-92 through the Department of
Aboriginal Affairs ( DAA). The Family Support program will
be the focus of DAA's Women's Initiative Program over the
next two years.
Young Wnmpn
Another special concern for my Government is the needs of
young women.
These women perhaps stand to gain the most from the
environment of equality of opportunity, choice and
opportunity we are creating.
Young women in this country now have the right to expect
equality of opportunity.
We have identified their special needs in education through
the National Policy for Girls in Schools which outlines
goals for the Commonwealth, States and independent systems.
We will provide, in close co-operation with State and
Territory Education ministers, S3 million over three years
to make curricula in our schools equally relevant to girls
and boys.
We have helped ensure that two out of every three students
complete year 12 compared to only one out of three in 1982.
At the same time, however, there have remained some
significant differences affecting whether girls can take
full advantage of longer schooling. Their subject choices
and their experience in some subjects have left them less
well equipped to compete fully in the labour market.
During 1989 and 1990, under the banner of the National
Policy for Girls in Schools, the Commonwealth and the States
have been campaigning to get girls to enrol in maths and
science. There have been some remarkable successes. Victoria, for
example, has seen significantly increased interest in maths
after a successful media campaign.
The Girls in Maths and Science Project initiated by my
Government in 1987 has been focusing on developing materials
to support schools in their efforts to improve the
participation of girls in mathematics and science.
It is now time to tackle the second half of the problem
why girls sometimes do less well or find subjects
irrelevant.
One of the fundamental explanations is that curricula in
these subjects, for historical reasons, has tended to
reflect the concerns-and interests of males. r, 82-
Equally there are many subjects which attract few boys or in
which they tend to do less well. Historically these have
tended to reflect the world of girls.
We want our school subjects taught in ways which recognise
that there exists a wide range of different interests and
that a broader choice of options and presentation will allow
these interests to be pursued by larger numbers of students.
Many curricula are still in need of reform appropriate for a
nation embarking on the last decade of the twentieth
century. Without such reform we will continue to waste the
talents of our young and fail to provide for a more equal
society. In working closely with State and Territory Governments on
this projnct it will be our aim to ensure that from now on
gender is irrelevant to how girls and boys choose subjects
and how well they are able to achieve in them.
Attanhmpntl 1. ILO Convention No 156
Workers with Family Responsibilities, Summary of
Provisions
2. Key Achievements to improve the status of women since
1983
13. ATTACHMENT 1
TI. 0 COnKVETION NQ 156
WORKERS WITH FAMIL-Y HESPONJTILTIES. 1Q91
SUMMARY OF
1. Each rati~ fying country shall make it an aim of national
policy to enable workers with family responsibilities
who are employed or wish to be employed to do so
without discrimination and, as far as possible, without
conflict between their employment and their family
responsibilities.
2. Measures shall be taken to take account of the needs of
workers with family responsibilities in their
conditioiis of employment and in social security
arrangements.
3. Measures shall be taken to take account of their needs
in community planning and to develop community services
such as child care facilities.
4. Member countries will promote a broader public
awareness of the principle of equal opportunity for men
and women workers and of the problems of workers with*
family responsibilities and a climate of opinion
conducive to overcoming these problems.
Vocational guidance and training shall be available to
enable workers with family responsibilities to join,
rejoin or remain in the workforce.
6. Family responsibilities as such shall not constitute a
valid reason for termination of employment.
7. This Convention applies to all branches of economic
activity and all categories of workers.
8. This Convention may be applied in stages, provided that
any implementation measures apply at least to all
workers wLth responsibilities for dependent children,
where such responsibilities restrict their preparation
for and involvement in economic activity.
9. Employers' and workers' organisations have the right to
participate, in an appropriate manner, in devising and
applying measures to give effect to the Convention. ATTACHMENT 2
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS TO IMPROVE THE STATUS OF WOMEN SINCE 1983
1983 Australia ratified the United Nations Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
Against Women
The Office of the Status of Women upgraded to a
Division and returned to the Department of Prime
Minister and Cabinet
1984 Federal Sex Discrimination Act passed
Public Service Reform Act introduced Equal
Employment Opportunity programs into the
Australian Public Service
First Women's Budget Statement tabled
CRAFT Scheme implemented to improve work
opportunities for female apprentices
National Women's Consultative Council established
Home and Community Care ( HACC) program announced
Aboriginal Women's Unit established in Department
of Aboriginal Affairs
Women's Research and Employment Initiatives
Program established
Announcement of program to boost child care by
20,000 new child care places by end of 1988
1985 Supported Accommodation Assistance Program ( SAAP)
including the Women's Emergency Support Program
commenced National Consultation and Assistance Grants
Program commenced
Adoption of Access and Equity Strategy
Tasmanian Women's Information Service established
1986 Commonwealth Human Rights and Equal Opportunity
Act passed
Australian Traineeships Scheme introduced
Permanent part time work introduced for Australian
Public Service employees
Conference on Legislative and Award Restrictions
to Women's Employment
Affirmaltive Action ( Equal Opportunity for Women)
Act 1986) proclaimed
' Women'ti Business', the report of the Aboriginal
Women's Task Force tabled in Parliament
Second riational Women's Consultative Council
appointed Rural Women's Access Grants Program begins
First agreement between Australian Government and
ACTU fox 3% award based superannuation
1987 National Domestic Violence Education Program
announced Of fice of Multicultural Affairs created
National Breast Cancer Screening and Cervical
Cancer Pilot Projects established
Aboriginal Women's Initiatives Program established
Survey oE Gender-Differentiated Provisions in
Federal Awards published
Equal Employment Opportunity ( Commonwealth
Authorities) Act widened
Social Sfecurity Income tests substantially
re-structured to break down poverty traps and work
disincentives National Policy for the Education of Girls in
Australian Schools announced
Child Disability Allowance introduced
National Policy and Plan for Women in Sport
published; Women's Sport Promotion Unit ( WSPU)
established Family Allowance Supplement ( FAS) introduced
1988 Child Support Scheme introduced
National Agenda for Women launched
' 1 Equity made national objective of all TAFE 829
16.
National Agenda for Women Grants Program commenced
Australian Women's Employment Strategy released
Life Has Never Been Easy : Report of the Survey of
Womeni in Rural Australia published
National Child Care Strategy announced further
30,000 new places by 1992
Thuzd National Women's Consultative Council
appointed National Working Party on the Portrayal of Women
in Ihe Media established
1989 Domestic Violence community education campaign
la iched
Womein's Employment Education and Training Advisory
Groitp ( WEETAG) formed
ActiLon For Women : A National CES Strategy for
Woma n announced
Job-,, Education and Training ( JET) Scheme
intrioduced UniEorm Sole Parents Pension introduced
Workshop on Women and Award Restructuring
Aboriginal Women's Unit upgraded to become Office
of Aboriginal Women
New five year Supported Accommodation Assistance
Program ( SAAP) commenced
National Women's Health Program announced
Commonwealth-State Council on NESB Women's Issues
est ablished
The ' Women's Book' a Directory of Government
Services for Aboriginal and Islander Women and the
Register of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Women launched
Prime Minister's Statement on Rural and Regional
Affairs including response to Survey of Women in
Rural Australia launched
Retirement Incomes Policy introduced
Family Allowances increased by record amounts
m03)
17.
Sole ParE-nt Rebate and Dependent Spouse Rebate
substantially boosted and indexed
Child Caie Fee Relief increased and indexed
1990 National Campaign Against Tobacco Use by Young
Women launched
All payments for children: Family Allowance,
Family Allowance Supplement, Child Disability
Allowance, Mothers Guardians Allowance indexed to
maintain real value 8*~ 3 1