This proposal has 9 components that all have effect from 1 July 2022.

Component 1 would increase the low-income superannuation tax offset cap to $1,000.

Component 2 would require the Productivity Commission to undertake a review of options to recognise currently unpaid care work.

Component 3 the reporting obligations under the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 would be extended to both of the following:

• private sector employers with 50 or more employees
• public sector employers with 50 or more employees.

Component 4 would establish a micro-financing concessional loan facility for women-led businesses. These businesses would be eligible for loans up to $10,000 on the following terms:

• loans of $1,500 to $3,000 would be interest-free with a repayment term of 12 months
• loans of $3,001 to $10,000 would be provided at an interest rate of 3% with a repayment term of 24 months
• the initial investment in the facility would be capped at $10 million, with repayments being reinvested within the facility.

Component 5 would provide total funding of $8 million to Working Women’s Centres each year ($1 million per centre for each State or Territory).

Component 6 would expand eligibility for grants under the Entrepreneurs Program for women-led businesses:

• The eligibility criteria would be amended for the Entrepreneurs’ Program administered by the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources to:
  • recognise women-led businesses as a Growth Sector within the meaning of the grant guidelines
  • reduce the turnover threshold for eligibility women-led business to $750,000 regardless of location, in line with the threshold for rural and regional businesses
  • the overall funding available under the Entrepreneurs Program would not be increased.

Component 7 would top-up Superannuation for primary carers:

• The government would provide $500 per year into the superannuation account of a care giver who is:
  • the primary carer for one or more children who are under 6 years old or under 16 years old and have a disability requiring intensive care
  • earns less than $37,000 per year.

Component 8 would provide pay rises for female-dominated industries:

• The government would provide wage increases for female-dominated industries by applying a 0.5% wage increase above consumer price (CPI) for each year over 10 years. This would apply to the following awards:
  • Children’s Services Award 2010
  • Cleaning Services Award 2010
  • Educational Services (School) General Staff Award 2020
  • Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020
  • General Retail Industry Award 2020
  • Health Professional and Support Services Award 2020
  • Nurses Award 2020
  • Textile, Clothing, Footwear and Associated Industries Award 2020.

Component 9 would modify the Paid Parental Leave Act 2010 to allow the biological father of a child or the partner of the child’s birth mother to make a primary claim for Parental Leave Pay (PLP) if the child’s birth mother does not, or is not likely to, satisfy the income test at the relevant time.