Parliament of Australia: House of Representatives

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Inquiry into equal opportunities for women in the workforce

What are the trends? Where are the major differences? Are current data collections telling the full story? What needs to be done? What are the priority areas? What have been the most successful initiatives? Which policies are most effective? What are the lessons learnt? Is there enough information available to employers and employees? What improvements can be made to the current approach? Which policies need to be changed? What legislative changes are needed?

The House of Representatives Employment and Workplace Relations Committee will investigate the causes of any potential disadvantages in relation to women’s participation in the workforce such as pay equity.

The committee will examine:

• The adequacy of current data to reliably monitor employment changes that may impact on pay equity issues;
• The need for education and information among employers, employees and trade unions in relation to pay equity issues;
• Current structural arrangements in the negotiation of wages that may impact disproportionately on women;
• The adequacy of recent and current equal remuneration provisions in state and federal workplace relations legislation;
• The adequacy of current arrangements to ensure fair access to training and promotion for women who have taken maternity leave and/or returned to work part time and/or sought flexible work hours; and
• The need for further legislative reform to address pay equity in Australia.

“The House Employment Committee includes both government and opposition members from across Australia. We will be working together cooperatively to assess and make recommendations on ways to ensure women have equal opportunities in their chosen employment,” Committee Chair Sharryn Jackson said.

Interested persons and organisations are invited to make written submissions to the inquiry by 28 August 2008, after which the committee will hold public hearings.

Further details on the inquiry, including the terms of reference, background documents, membership of the Committee and advice on making submissions can be obtained on the Committee’s website at http://www.aph.gov.au/ewr or by contacting the committee secretariat on (02) 6277 4162 or emailing ewr.reps@aph.gov.au