Albanese’s election campaign will focus on women’s issues

The Labor Party is pitching its credenitals to female voters with leader Anthony Albanese set to paint a picture of Prime Minister Scott Morrison as “out of touch” on women’s issues.

A Labor government will focus on delivering decent pay and job security for women, independence in retirement, properly funded essential services and safety at work, at home and in the community.

In a speech to be delivered at the Bayside Women’s Shelter on Sunday, Labor leader Anthony Albanese will outline his commitment to improve the living conditions for women, especially the most vulnerable at the same time as painting a picture of an “out of touch” prime minister.

The pitch to women is a concerted move by Labor to cement its credentials among female voters as the federal government navigates its way through the historic rape allegations levelled at former Cabinet minister Christian Porter – who has denied any wrongdoing – and the alleged sexual assault of former government staffer Brittany Higgins.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese. Picture: John Feder

Mr Albanese will note how when Labor came to government in 2007, it set up the National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children to tackle the epidemic of violence against women and children.

The Council’s recommendation led to the creation of the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children – a plan that expires next year – the national 1800RESPECT hotline, violence prevention body Our Watch and the Australian National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) – initiatives that Mr Albanese declares represent “the most productive and progressive periods for women’s safety policy.”

“Labor did not miss the opportunity presented by government in 2007, nor will we in 2022,” he said.

Flagging action on domestic violence, Mr Albanese said it was not his intention to “keep speaking” about stories of women and children “without also doing something to make sure there are far fewer that demand to be told.”

In pushing a government out-of-touch message, Mr Albanese will revive Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s International Women’s Day speech about wanting to “see women rise” but “did not want to see women rise only on the basis of others doing worse” and comment about “how good it was women could protest” in Australia “without getting shot”.

“It remains one of the most out-of-touch things I have ever heard in parliament,” Mr Albanese said.

He described it as “tragic” that the Bayside Women’s Shelter had to find ways to raise desperately needed funds “because government funding is inadequate”, claiming funding for family violence services had not kept pace with the increase in demand.

“Resourcing these services is a fundamental obligation of governments,” he said.

“I said I would not miss the opportunity to set things right in government.

“I don’t imagine our task to be easy, but I know it to be absolutely necessary if we are to create a world in which all Australians can live their fullest lives.”

Labor was committed to providing women with the housing and economic support they need to establish a safe life, including offering 10 days paid domestic violence leave and separate national plan for First Nations people to end violence against women and family violence, he said.

Other initiatives include an additional 4,000 units of social housing to women and children along with $100 million for crisis and transitional housing.

The recommendations of the Respect at Work report – including the duty of employers to ensure workplaces are free of sexual harassment – also needed to be adopted, he said.

Labor has selected female candidates in key seats such as in Mr Porter’s seat of Pearce and also Brisbane, Dickson, Longman and Leichhardt as it moves to make issues facing women a key election platform.