Reporter’s bizarre claim about the PM refuted: ‘Demonstrably false’

The Prime Minister’s office insists a bizarre claim about the PM made by an ABC reporter on-air today is “demonstrably false.”

Twitter has blown up after it was alleged Prime Minister Scott Morrison had no idea a gender pay gap existed in Australia.

But a spokesperson for the PM said the claims, made by an ABC reporter on-air today, are “demonstrably false.”

During a panel discussion on Sunday morning’s Insiders ABC, the network’s political reporter Andrew Probyn claimed Mr Morrison was recently “gobsmacked” to learn gender pay equality was an issue across workforces.

“I think what we are witnessing, though, is the slow transformation of Scott Morrison from someone who didn’t understand it at all to someone who is getting some understanding,” Mr Probyn said.

“I’ve heard inside some of these (government) meetings Scott Morrison was gobsmacked there was even a gender pay gap, because he can’t understand why you would have women and men paid differently for doing the same job, and you’ve got some of his colleagues say, ‘Well, Prime Minister, that actually does happen’.

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Sunday morning’s Insiders ABC discuss Australia’s gender pay gap issue. Picture: Twitter/InsidersABC

“So you would have noticed that two weeks ago the Prime Minister actually started talking about the gender pay gap, but maybe a day or so before that he had no understanding that that actually happened.”

A spokesperson for the PM today said Probyn’s claim is “demonstrably false.

“The Prime Minister has for many years discussed and sought to directly address the gender pay gap in Australia.

“Under our government, the gender pay gap has shrunk from 17.4 per cent in September 2013 to 13.9 per cent in the latest figures.”

A tweet posted by Mr Morrison in August 2018 shows he promised the gender pay gap issue was “heading in the right direction” but that there was #moretodo”:

Under Labor, the gender pay gap increased from 15.5% to 17.2%. Under our Government it has fallen to 14.5% and heading in right direction #Moretodo.

— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) September 22, 2018

After the clip was shared on the program’s Twitter page on Sunday morning, it left many outraged, questioning how it could be possible the PM had only just become aware of the gender pay gap.

WATCH: @andrewprobyn says, according to inside sources, Scott Morrison was "gobsmacked" to find out the gender pay gap even existed #Insiders#auspolpic.twitter.com/t2ZHCDMWia

— Insiders ABC (@InsidersABC) April 11, 2021

“So, the head of the govt, the “leader” of Aust, who repeatedly claims to be working for “all Australians” has openly admitted he has no idea about issues that effort 51 per cent of the population despite being in govt for 7yrs, including time as Treasurer. Good govt starts here?” one person wrote.

“Sorry, but what utter nonsense. How can anyone of his age, and with his political and professional experience and standing not know this?” another person wrote.

Mr Probyn’s comments come after Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk requested for national cabinet to host a special summit to “address the ongoing economic and social inequality facing Australian women”.

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ABC’s political editor Andrew Probyn claimed the prime minister was ‘gobsmacked’ to learn gender pay equality was an issue in Australia. Picture: Twitter/InsidersABC

As well as the Women’s Cabinet Taskforce that was assembled in the reshuffle, she suggested a broader summit to deal with women’s economic security, the gender pay gap, superannuation and child care availability.

“Right now, I believe our nation is at a point in time where real and enduring action must be taken to address the economic inequality endured by Australian women for far too long,” she wrote in a letter titled “Dear Scott”.

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny. Picture: Adam Yip

Mr Morrison agreed they would have not a big broad summit, but a special National Cabinet meeting at the end of July to look at this.

Gender pay equality continues to be a major issue within Australia, with a new report — The report, Gender Equity Insights 2021: Making it a Priority — revealing efforts to bring equality to the workforce is likely to take another 26 years.

The report, released by the government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency and the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, found that the gender pay gap is worst in finance and insurance firms, at almost 28 per cent, versus 20 per cent across the workforce.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk demanded Mr Morrison call a women’s summit in the wake of the horrific sexual assault scandals exposed this year. Picture: Tertius Pickard

“This report reveals a worrying level of apathy and indifference among many Australian employers toward improving gender equality,” said WGEA chief Libby Lyons. “Expecting Australian women to wait a quarter of a century for the total remuneration gender pay gap to close is unacceptable.”

The findings, similarly to Ms Palaszczuk special summit request, come amid concern about the lack of safety, respect and equality for women in the workplace following revelations of a toxic male culture in Parliament House.

This is what I sent to the Prime Minister. It's time for action. #auspol pic.twitter.com/4wmRRCKH0v

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) April 7, 2021

She said they also have to consider the effect that the COVID-19 pandemic may have on the outlook for women’s employment and workforce participation.

“This will remain unclear until we collect the data from employers in the coming months and release our next dataset later this year.”

Ms Lyons said employers “must act now” to embed gender equality in their organisations as a standard business practice.

“Not only will it drive better company performance, productivity and profitability but it will also deliver meaningful, systemic change that will close the gender pay gap faster and make our workplaces better, fairer and safer for both women and men.”