Background to the submission

The National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW), a non-politically aligned feminist organisation, in conjunction with experts from a range of women’s organisations, has prepared this submission to the Productivity Commission’s (the Commission) inquiry into the workplace relations framework. NFAW, with other women’s organisations, is committed to examining the impact of matters raised in the discussion paper on women, and in particular whether the consequences of policies, intended or unintended, may adversely impact on women. Our submission also makes recommendations about positive policy options for improving gender equity.

There is evidence of a rise in women’s participation in formal economic activity over time, although the data shows there is still a long way to go.1 There is also a substantial body of evidence of a growing gap in economic inequality, most recently examined in the work of Piketty (2014).

The NFAW submission emphasises the economic case for gender equality in the workplace. It focuses on women’s experience of social and economic inequality through the prism of the workplace relations system, and the need for ongoing strong safeguards in the system to protect women workers; to protect the gains made in gender equality; and to ensure further equality, fairness, increased workforce participation and productivity in Australia.

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