Image: Wikimedia Commons
By LAUREN FROST
A motion calling to support the advancement of women’s economic quality and increased wages in feminised industries was carried by Inner West Council earlier this week.
The motion, put forward by Councillor Liz Atkins, asked that Council acknowledge the importance of recommendations made by the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce, a body established to advance women’s economic equality.
Its report, a 10-year plan to unleash the full capacity and contribution of women to the Australian economy 2023 – 2033, was delivered on 23 August 2023.
These recommendations included the need for an increase in the award for early childhood educators, the universalisation of early childhood education and care for families, paid placements for feminised industries like health and education, and employment targets for women and minorities.
The motion asked for a meeting between the Premier, the Minister for Local Government, the Minister for Early Learning, Inner West Councillors, and representatives of early childhood educators in the United Services Union.
Greater collaboration in early education with the state government would greater support Council’s work in early education and would support Council to take action on implementing these recommendations in the LGA.
Cr Atkins also noted that economic inequality was particularly “harsh” on those from refugee, migrant and First Nations families. Council needs further support from State Government to deliver these services, especially to more vulnerable families.
Cr Atkins told City Hub that “quality early childhood education is important to give children a great start, and for women’s workforce participation and economic security.”
“Council has a key role to play in this,” they continued, “and the greater the collaboration between all levels of government, the greater the impact for women and children.”
Amendments
However, an amendment put forward by Councillor Mat Howard and Councillor Phillippa Scott called instead for the Council to write to the NSW Government and Commonwealth Government seeking greater collaboration between levels of government, organisations and agencies in supporting the Council’s work in early education.
Proving divisive amongst Council members, the vote on the amendment was initially a tie, but was carried via casting vote by the chairperson, Acting Mayor Chloe Smith.
Disappointed by this outcome, Clr Atkins said they “believe it would have been a much stronger outcome for Council to get in a room with the people who can actually make things happen.”
“We need to put the Premier and Ministers on the spot.”
Australia’s workforce is amongst the most gender-segregated workforces in the OECD, largely due to a lack of access to early childhood education and care.
First Nations, Migrant, and Refugee Women Bear Greatest Burden
Undermining these traditionally feminised industries can cost women with children more than $2 million across their lifetime, contributing to a gender pay gap of 28% with First Nations, migrant and refugee women often carrying the brunt of this financial burden.
“I’ve been told that First Nations families often struggle with gaining access to quality early childhood education,” Clr Atkins said.
“Any assistance council can give in helping to navigate complex systems and in providing inclusive early education will help to close the gaps.”
Clr Atkins also noted that “one of the Closing the Gaps targets is to increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children enrolled in Year Before Fulltime Schooling early childhood education to 95 per cent by 2025.”
With 2023 nearing a close it would seem to be an important time to address this target wholeheartedly, however, this has been hindered by Clr Howard and Clr Scott’s amendment to the motion.
