Economic and social participation
11.1 In Australia, women are free to participate in all aspects of social and economic life. The Australian Government respects the choices of Australian parents to work or to stay at home to care for family members-Australia values and supports unpaid work and caring roles. The Government is also committed to giving women opportunities to increase their workforce participation. For more information about women's economic participation, see paragraphs 9.1 to 9.65.
11.2 Australian men and women continue to have equal rights to access bank loans, mortgages and other forms of financial credit. Access to Australian Government income support and financial assistance is based on personal circumstances, not on sex.
Unpaid work and its effect on economic and social participation
11.3 Since Australia's last report on CEDAW in 2003, the Australian Bureau of Statistics has undertaken another time use survey. The results showed that gender inequalities in unpaid work in Australia persisted in 2006 and the extent of the inequalities has changed very little over time.104 For more information about the time men and women spend in unpaid work, see paragraphs 3.2 to 3.3.
Caring for children, people with disabilities and the elderly
11.4 Women continue to take on a significant proportion of caring responsibilities for children and adults, which still affects their capacity to participate in economic life to the same extent as men.
11.5 About 2.6 million Australians provide care to others who need assistance because of old age, disability or medical condition. Seventy-one per cent of primary carers of children, young people with intellectual and developmental disorders, and elderly relatives are women.105 In 2003, most (58.2 per cent) female primary carers spent 20 hours per week or more caring for an elderly person or a person with disability. Of these, 39.5 per cent spent more than 40 hours per week in their caring role.
11.6 Compared to women without caring responsibilities, female primary carers had a lower labour force participation rate, a lower median gross income per week, and were more likely to have a government pension or allowance as their principal source of income.106 Female carers have increasingly become part of the 'sandwich generation', providing care for both children and adults, such as ageing parents and spouses. For more information about the effect of women's caring on economic participation, see paragraphs 9.21 to 9.40.
11.7 As well as affecting women's economic participation, research indicates that compared to female non live-in carers, female live-in carers have more negative outcomes in mental health, less social support, higher stress, more sleep problems and physical symptoms, and heavier use of health services.107
Volunteering
11.8 The Australian Government acknowledges the generous and valuable contribution that volunteers make to our society. Since 2001, the Government has provided over $62 million to around 29,000 community organisations to support their volunteers.
11.9 Women undertake volunteering to a greater extent than men. In 2006, 36 per cent of women compared to 32 per cent of men volunteered. With few exceptions, the gender difference persisted regardless of birthplace, family status, labour force status, or the areas where people lived. The median time spent in voluntary work per year was 60 hours for women and 52 hours for men. Women aged 35 to 44 years were in the age group most likely to volunteer (48.2 per cent). This age group includes a large number of parents with dependent children who had a volunteer rate of 50 per cent compared to 32 per cent for female partners without dependent children.108
Australian Government financial assistance
11.10 More women than men are welfare dependent. Parenting Payments, Carer Payments and Partner Allowances are paid predominantly to women. Both the number and percentage of female Disability Support Pension recipients continue to gradually increase. However, females represent less than 44 per cent of all people receiving the Disability Support Pension.
Family benefits
11.11 The Australian Government is firmly committed to a strong social security safety net for individuals and families, including families headed by a female sole parent. In Australia, approximately 87 per cent of sole parent families are headed by women. Over 90 per cent of income support recipients who are principal carers of children are women. In 2003-04, government pensions and allowances were the principal source of income for 61 per cent of one-parent families.109
11.12 Australia has a comprehensive family payment system, structured to provide substantial financial assistance to families. The system also supports families' choices about work and family responsibilities. The primary family assistance payment is the Family Tax Benefit, delivering around $16 billion per year in assistance to families (see Australia's 2003 report on CEDAW and paragraphs 344 to 346 of Australia's Common Core Document, June 2006). Recognising the extra costs incurred at the time of a birth or adoption of a baby, the Government pays parents a one-off payment, known as the Baby Bonus (see paragraph 9.37). The Australian Government also pays Parenting Payments to eligible parents, grandparents, foster carers and sole parents.
Financial assistance to older Australians
11.13 Australia continues to provide financial assistance to older Australians. The Age Pension is paid as a safety net for seniors with few other resources and supplements the income of seniors with more resources. Of 1,952,686 people paid the Age Pension in 2006-07, just over half were women.
11.14 Since Australia's last report on CEDAW in 2003, seniors have received extra support, including the Utilities Allowance to help older Australians who are on income support pay regular bills, such as gas and electricity.
11.15 Pensioners may also receive a range of add-on allowances including Pharmaceutical Allowance, Telephone Allowance, and Remote Area Allowance (to help people living in remote areas). Pensioners also have access to a range of concessions and subsidies, including for health care and pharmaceuticals, public transport, council/municipal rates, electricity, and motor vehicle registration.
Financial assistance for carers
11.16 There are two main forms of financial assistance to carers-Carer Payment for people who, because of the demands of their caring role, are unable to support themselves through substantial workforce participation; and Carer Allowance, for people who provide daily care and attention in a private home to a person with disability, a severe medical condition, or who is frail aged.
11.17 Each year since 2004, the Australian Government has paid a lump sum bonus of $1,000 to Carer Payment recipients and $600 to Carer Allowance recipients. From June 2008, Carer Payment recipients started to receive an annual Utilities Allowance of $500.
Financial assistance for people with disability
11.18 The Australian Government provides Disability Support Pensions to eligible people irrespective of gender. From June 2008, Disability Support Pensioners started to receive an annual Utilities Allowance of $500. Like other pensioners, eligible Disability Support Pensioners receive a range of add-on allowances, concessions and subsidies.
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Other financial assistance
11.19 The Australian Government provides other types of financial assistance to eligible people, including the War Widows Pension, Service Pension and Crisis Payment (a one-off payment designed to help people who are in severe financial hardship). Crisis Payment is payable to victims of extreme circumstances (typically natural disaster victims), domestic violence, recently released prisoners and humanitarian entrants.
11.20 The Australian Government has committed to investigating measures to strengthen the financial security of seniors, carers and people with disability, including a review of the Age Pension, Carer Payment and Disability Support Pension, as part of its inquiry into Australia's Future Tax System. The Pension Review will investigate the appropriate levels of income support and allowances, the frequency of payments, and the structure and payment of concessions or other entitlements. The Pension Review will be completed by the end of February 2009. The report on the review will inform the broader inquiry into Australia's Future Tax System, which will conclude by the end of 2009.
Support services and assistance
Carer support services
11.21 The Australian Government supports services for carers of frail older Australians and younger people with disability through the joint Australian and state and territory government-funded Home and Community Care program. The program funds a number of services, such as respite, counselling and support, specifically designed to help carers. In 2007-08, the Australian Government contributed over $1 billion nationally for Home and Community Care services.
11.22 The Australian Government's National Respite for Carers program is provided through the Department of Health and Ageing. Around 600 respite services across Australia provide respite care, information and other support for carers. The program also funds 54 Respite and Carelink Centres that help carers access emergency and short-term respite and provide information about local carer support services. In 2006-07, around 129,800 carers were assisted under the program.
11.23 Residential respite is also available to carers through residential aged care facilities. In 2007-08, the Australian Government provided just over $188 million to subsidise costs for facilities that provide respite for carers. The Government also funds the Respite Support for Carers of Young People with Severe and Profound Disabilities program. The Respite and Information Services for Young Carers program also helps carers aged up to 25 years who are at risk of leaving education prematurely.
11.24 The House of Representatives Standing Committee for Family, Community, Housing and Youth is conducting an inquiry into support for carers. The inquiry aims to provide a greater understanding of the challenges facing carers and their support needs. The committee will report in early 2009.
Support for people with disability
11.25 The National Disability strategy is a major Australian Government commitment that will provide an overarching policy statement and framework outlining priority actions nationally and for state and territory governments. The strategy will address the complex needs of people with disability and their carers and build strategies and innovations to move away from crisis management to early intervention. It will deliver a whole-of-government, whole-of-life approach to disability issues and will incorporate the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The National Disability strategy will be an important cornerstone of the Australian Government's commitment to promoting social inclusion for all Australians.
11.26 The Commonwealth Disability strategy is a strategic framework for including participation by people with disability in Australian Government policies, programs and services by removing barriers. The strategy is currently being reviewed in response to recommendations from an independent evaluation report released in November 2006 and will be aligned with the objectives of the National Disability strategy.
11.27 In 2008 the Australian Government established the Disability Investment Group to explore innovative funding ideas from the private sector that will help people with disability and their families access greater support and plan for the future.
Other measures to help people with disability
11.28 The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 provides that all publicly accessible buildings should be accessible to people with disability, unless altering the building to provide access would cause unjustifiable hardship. In 2006, a proposal for Disability Standards for Access to Premises was put to the Australian Government to codify building requirements to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 in order to improve availability and provide greater certainty about how to provide non-discriminatory access. An advisory group was also established in late 2007 to consider the proposal and make recommendations on a number of unresolved issues. The Government is presently considering the advisory group's report and is likely to make a decision on the proposal later in 2008.
11.29 The Disability Standard for Accessible Public Transport 2002 (Transport Standards) establishes minimum accessibility requirements with which operators and providers of public transport conveyances, premises and infrastructure must comply. The Transport Standards are currently under review to examine whether discrimination has been removed as far as possible, according to the compliance requirements of the Transport Standards, and will assess the need for amendments to the Transport Standards. The review will involve consultation with all levels of government, including the states and territories, and interested people.
11.30 These measures provide a response in some measure to the CEDAW Committee's 2006 Concluding Comment in paragraph 27 regarding the development of infrastructure needed to ensure that disabled women have access to all health services.
Housing assistance
11.31 The Australian Government recognises that access to affordable and appropriate housing is essential to all Australians and that women, particularly those with children, are particularly vulnerable.
11.32 A new Housing Working Group, chaired by the Australian Government Minister for Housing, will report to COAG on measures to address the problems of housing affordability and homelessness. The Australian Government is implementing a range of new initiatives, including first home saver accounts, a housing affordability fund and a national affordability scheme.
11.33 The Australian Government supports women and children who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless as a result of domestic violence through the Supported Accommodation Assistance program. From 1 January 2009, funding for the Supported Accommodation Assistance program will be incorporated into a new national affordable housing agreement. Under the new A Place to Call Home initiative, the Government will invest $150 million over five years to provide 600 new houses and units for homeless people across the country. For information about housing and domestic violence, see paragraphs 14.71 to 14.73.
11.34 In late 2008, the Australian Government will release a white paper on homelessness that will set out a national action plan for reducing homelessness over the next decade.
11.35 The New South Wales Government provides a range of housing programs and products to help people most in need including Priority Public Housing assistance, which can help women at risk of homelessness. In 2006-07, women headed over 61 per cent of households in subsidised public housing in the state, and over 34 per cent of women receiving priority housing were escaping domestic violence. Almost 60 per cent of older public housing tenants were women. Current and future initiatives under the Housing and Human Services Accord provide housing assistance and support to women exiting prison, young women leaving out-of-home care, young parents, and women at risk of homelessness.
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Improving Australian women's financial security and knowledge
Superannuation
11.36 Compared to men, women in Australia are less likely to have superannuation and more likely to have lower superannuation savings.
11.37 In 2003, the Australian Government introduced the superannuation co-contribution scheme to help people on low incomes save for their retirement. Under the scheme the Government matches (up to a maximum of $1,500 per year) eligible people's after-tax personal contributions to superannuation. Women in particular have benefited from this initiative. During 2006-07, 59 per cent of people who received a co-contribution were female.110
11.38 In 2004, the Australian Government removed the restrictions on contributing to superannuation for individuals aged less than 65 years who were not in the workforce. This means women can now make voluntary contributions to superannuation even when they are not working.
Financial literacy
11.39 A survey in 2005 found that women were over-represented in groups displaying lower levels of financial literacy in Australia, and that lower levels of financial literacy were related to lower retirement savings balances.111 In 2005, the Australian Government established the Financial Literacy Foundation to work in partnership with governments, industry and community organisations to advance financial literacy in Australia.
11.40 In response to a recommendation in a House of Representatives Committee report,112 the Financial Literacy Foundation and the Australian Government Office for Women (in consultation with a national women's secretariat, Security4Women) produced a free resource to help women of all ages and income levels to build their money management skills. Launched and distributed in April 2008, the Women Understanding Money resource covers essential and practical information on important financial topics from budgeting to investing and making the most of superannuation.
11.41 In 2007, the Australian Government Office for Women also released Your guide to effectively communicating superannuation and financial literacy messages to women, a summary guide to help policy-makers, financial counsellors and the financial services industry effectively communicate superannuation and financial literacy messages to women during key stages of their lives.
11.42 The South Australian Government funds education for women about personal finances, including superannuation sessions and a variety of publications, delivered by the Women's Information Service. The service has also worked with the state's Office for Consumer and Business Affairs to provide community education on consumer rights and product safety. The South Australian Government's Social Inclusion initiative considers innovative ways to address some of the state's most difficult social problems and has a strong emphasis on providing opportunities for the most vulnerable members of the community to participate in the state's social and economic life.
11.43 In 2008, the Northern Territory Government launched Building on Our Strengths: A Framework for Action for Women in the Northern Territory 2008-12. The plan identifies participation and leadership and economic security as key areas needing ongoing work and outlines priority government actions to advance the lives of all territory women.
11.44 The Western Australian Government recently undertook a thorough research and consultation process to identify priority issues facing women in the community. Achieving life-long economic security emerged as a key theme women want addressed. Superwoman Women and Superannuation-Securing your Future, is a booklet that aims to help women think about the retirement lifestyle they want; work out how much money they will need; and help develop an action plan for their financial future. Further, since 2003, the Western Australian Government has managed a community grants program, which provides funding for women's groups and community organisations for short-term projects that strengthen the social and economic wellbeing of women.
11.45 The Victorian Government developed a financial literacy training program for women and commenced delivery in September 2008 to help women become more financially secure throughout their working lives and in retirement. Over the next four years, over 2,500 adult women of different ages-including women from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, Indigenous women and women from rural and regional Victoria-are expected to attend literacy workshops across the state. An online website training tool will supplement the workshops.
Women in small business
11.46 All levels of government encourage and help women in small businesses. In New South Wales, women account for nearly one-third of all business operators and are co-partners in approximately 60 per cent of small businesses. The New South Wales Department of State and Regional Development supports business women through the Women in Business Mentor and Workshop programs for participants to increase their business skills; growth strategy workshops to provide women business owners with networking opportunities and business skills; and an e-learning Women in Business initiative to help women in remote and regional locations start up businesses.
11.47 The Victorian Government has launched the Showcasing Women in Small Business program, which helps female small business operators understand and access business finance. The program holds seminars and distributes information on accessing finance. To date, the program has assisted more than 3,000 women around Victoria to better understand finance.
11.48 In Western Australia, there are an estimated 196,000 small businesses with around 35 per cent of those currently operated by women. The Small Business Development Corporation assists women in business access the right information, the right people and the right networks. The corporation has recently launched the online Women in Business Network.
11.49 The Women in Business Micro-Credit program is a joint program run by the Tasmanian Government and the No Interest Loan Scheme network of Australia. The program is designed to increase business planning and management skills among women and provide start-up financial assistance packages to successful applicants. The Tasmanian Government also provides grants to enable women to participate more fully in economic and social life, including the Women's Development Small Grants program which funds projects to promote equal opportunities for women.
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Leisure activities
11.50 Results from the 2006 Australian Time Use Survey showed that men still spend more time than women in recreation and leisure activities. Between 1997 and 2006, the time spent in recreation and leisure activities reduced for both men and women, although the decrease was greater for women than for men. This means that the gender gap in leisure activities has widened from 29 minutes per day to 32 minutes per day.113
11.51 Time Use Research Fellowships research also shows that as women spent significantly more time than men in unpaid work in the home, women spent much less time in leisure regardless of the hours spent in paid employment and the day of the week.114 The research also found that a significantly higher proportion of women's leisure activities than men's are conducted in combination with unpaid work. Compared to men, women's leisure activities are shorter in duration and are more often interrupted by child care and housework demands.115
Participation in sports and physical recreation
11.52 As part of its ongoing effort to increase women's participation in sport and leisure activities, the Australian Government's support for women and sport projects at the Australian Sports Commission exceeded $4 million from 2003 to 2008. Additional resources are provided in the areas of coaching and officiating, Indigenous sport, and disability and after school sport initiatives that include elements to address gender issues. Since 2005, the Australian Sports Commission's Building a Better Sport: Better Management Practices framework has also guided work to identify an improved model of management and cultural change within sporting organisations to address gender inequity.
11.53 The Sport Leadership Grants for Women program has distributed more than $2 million to 15,500 women throughout Australia since 2003. The grants are for accredited sport leadership training in coaching, officiating, sport administration and management, and governance. Grants target five key areas-women in high performance coaching and officiating, Indigenous women, women in disability sport, and women in general sport leadership. Over half of distributed funds reached women in rural and remote areas.
11.54 The Disability Education program responded to the need for training and resource material for national and state and territory sport organisations, coaches, teachers, and community leaders to help them include people with disabilities. Since July 2003, around 21,000 people across Australia have completed the training. Many participants are associated with the disability and education sectors, which traditionally have a high proportion of female representation. Sports CONNECT (formerly project CONNECT) also involves 30 national sport organisations working towards the common goal of making sport more inclusive of people with disabilities.
11.55 The Indigenous Sport program aims to increase the number of Indigenous Australians participating in structured sport programs, and to develop Indigenous people's coaching and officiating skills. From July 2003 to March 2008, 190,566 Indigenous females (158,354 girls and 32,212 adult women) participated in structured sporting programs. Over 1,400 women completed accredited coaching/officiating courses and had financial support to attend national or international sporting events under the Elite Indigenous Travel and Accommodation Assistance program.
11.56 In 2006-07, the Australian Government commissioned research to examine how culturally and linguistically diverse women participate in sporting activities, such as coaching, playing, refereeing and administration. The research found that barriers to this group of women participating in sport included socio-cultural issues, difficulty in accessing appropriate facilities, lack of resources, and personal barriers. The research results will provide input to Australian Government policy, which aims to support and encourage these women to participate more in sport.116
11.57 State and territory governments have programs in place to encourage and support women in sport. For example, in New South Wales, the Women's Sports Leaders Scholarship program has provided scholarships to over 400 women since 1997. The program will be extended to include new Indigenous and Multicultural Women's Sports Leaders programs. Community-based participation programs for women and girls have included the Arabic Girls Multi-Sport program, Austswim and Wimswim swimming courses for women of all ages and from a range of cultural backgrounds, a girls surfing program, and Sport in Focus which aims to increase the numbers of qualified female coaches, officials and administrators. The New South Wales Government has also delivered 'come and try' sports clinics to introduce girls to a new range of sports, and special sports development camps for girls with disability aged from 11 to 18 years.
11.58 The Queensland Government conducted 17 successful women and girls' events in 2005 and 2006 in collaboration with Womensport Queensland and the Australian Council for Health and Physical Education and Recreation. The Government is currently developing an 'active' women's and girls' web-based resource to provide practical and user-friendly information.
11.59 The Northern Territory Government provides funding to run an ethics program, which provides advice, resources and training to help sport and recreation organisations develop strategies to address harassment and discrimination in their organisations. There is a general code of conduct principle within the Northern Territory Institute of Sport that encourages employment of women coaches, which is traditionally a male-dominated area.
11.60 In the Australian Capital Territory, women's participation in physical activity and organised sports is a component of two new initiatives in 2008-09. The Australian Capital Territory Government will provide additional funding for the Sports Loan Subsidy Scheme within the Sport and Recreation Grants program. This program offers opportunities to sport organisations to move towards self-sufficiency in funding capital work improvements. The loans' initiative promotes access to services and facilities to support healthy active lifestyles for all community members through well-designed and maintained sporting facilities.
11.61 In 2007-08, the South Australian Government awarded scholarships with a total value of $30,000 to seven female coaches from a variety of sports under the Women's 2008 High Performance Coaching and Officiating Scholarship program.
11.62 The Victorian Government has focused on positive portrayals of women in sport and community life, especially at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, and has been encouraging women and girls to participate in sport and active lifestyles, decision-making and leadership roles such as coaching, officiating and sports administration.
11.63 The Tasmanian Government supports women in sport by funding programs targeting women, including the Get Active program. Introduced in 2004, Get Active aims to enhance the health and wellbeing of women and girls through physical activity. The program specifically seeks to engage women and girls who are not currently physically active and who may have experienced barriers to physical activity, such as lack of confidence, body image, concern for personal safety, costs of participation, transport issues and myths about the dangers of physical activity. In December 2007, the Tasmanian Government launched the Community Recreation Grants program providing funding to address barriers to participation in sport including gender and lack of support structures.