Page 1478 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 14 May 2014
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mainstream, including pay increases for community sector workers and increased access to child care.
The ACT women’s grants provide funding for organisations to contribute to the objectives of both the ACT women’s plan and the prevention of violence strategy. This year, eight organisations will receive funding, including Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT, which will deliver a project to increase access for women with a disability entering menopause to easily access information, resources and support.
I recently announced funding to support women with a disability who experience domestic violence. In addition, we have created the role of gender adviser, a person who has been employed by the Community Services Directorate to ensure that the national disability insurance scheme responds adequately to the needs of women and girls in the ACT.
In 2012-13, the Community Services Directorate, Health Directorate, Justice and Community Safety Directorate and Education and Training Directorate provided over $27 million of funding to a number of organisations to provide support services and programs for women, girls and their families in the ACT. The ACT government has established a range of useful support packages for organisations under the community sector reform program. This program supports organisations to strengthen their governance and financial management and to identify opportunities to broaden their funding base.
While funding reductions at the national level are largely outside the ACT government’s control, our investment in supporting community organisations to withstand these changes is proof of the government’s commitment to support all community organisations, including the women’s services sector.
Just in regard to the federal budget last night, with a focus on older women, it is worth noting that the reduction in overall spending in female-dominated industries such as health care, education and community services is likely to increase the unemployment rate for older women, who have traditionally worked only in unqualified caring roles. While the restart payment may provide industry incentives to employ people over 50, the reduction in employment options in female-dominated industries means that it is likely to benefit men more than women.
Older women’s homelessness is a significant and rising issue. Reductions in affordable housing and homelessness funding will impact disproportionately on older women. In particular, those who have experienced separation, have been out of the workforce for extended periods and do not have adequate financial resources will be increasingly vulnerable to homelessness.
The pausing of indexation of the age pension is likely to impact disproportionately on women as the gender disparity between superannuation levels for men and women means that more women may be reliant on the age pension than men.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Berry.
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