Scott Morrison seeks national framework on women

Scott Morrison will propose a nationally consistent framework on reporting progress in boosting women’s economic and safety measures.

Scott Morrison in Canberra on Thursday. Picture: Gary Ramage

Scott Morrison will propose a nationally consistent framework on reporting progress in boosting women’s economic and safety measures at Friday’s national cabinet meeting.

The adoption of a national framework would tie together work undertaken by federal, state and territory governments on improving outcomes for Australian women.

The Australian understands all states and territories have provided responses to the federal government’s Respect@Work national cabinet item, progressing recommendations made by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins’s report.

A national approach to advance protections for women comes after the Prime Minister earlier this year established a women’s cabinet taskforce, led by Marise Payne.

In the March cabinet re­shuffle, which came after a series of scandals involving ministers Christian Porter and Linda Reynolds, Mr Morrison appointed new port­folios focused on women’s economic security and safety.

The national cabinet meeting on Friday coincides with the release of a parliamentary com­mittee report into Respect at Work legislation announced by Attorney-General Michaelia Cash on June 24.

The Morrison government is attempting to strengthen nat­ional laws to prevent and better respond to sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace.

Senator Cash in June said the Sex Discrimination and Fair Work (Respect at Work) Amendment Bill would strengthen Australia’s anti-­discrimination and industrial relations frameworks by “simplifying, clarifying and enhancing protections against sexual harassment and other forms of sex discrimination in the workplace”.

The federal government is also hosting a national women’s safety summit next month where stakeholder groups and political leaders will convene to help shape Australia’s next ­blueprint to tackle domestic ­violence.

On Thursday, Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said a 2020 report that outlined in­equalities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women would help inform the nation’s next domestic violence plan.

“We’ve already invested $1.1bn as a down-payment on that plan, which will be further developed at the national women’s safety summit,” she told parliament.