Steps to integrate women into policy-making processes offer hope for a "system shift", which will be difficult to undo, Future Women deputy managing director Jamila Rizvi says.
The revival of the women's budget statement - reintroduced by the Albanese government in 2022 - and the introduction of super on Commonwealth-funded paid parental leave have been welcomed by the group, which advocates for gender equity in the workplace.
"I hope that political parties are going to be more alive to the fact that women are not only interested in a tiny sliver of the women's portfolio within the government," Ms Rizvi said.
She was speaking after hosting the Future Women's post-budget event on Wednesday, May 15, which featured a keynote from Minister for Women Katy Gallagher. The Canberra Times was a media partner for the event.
The event canvassed pressing issues for Australian women, including action on family and domestic violence, with Office for Women boss Padma Raman acknowledging the urgent need to do more.
"The return of the women's budget statement has meant that we are thinking more broadly, again, we're thinking about every portfolio," Ms Rizvi said.
"You did get the sense that there is a system shift happening that is requiring people to turn their minds to the possibility that a new policy or or a change of a payment might impact women in a different way to how it impacts men.
"And I do think that is a big shift, and that's a shift that once it becomes normal in the way government has done, is hard to undo."
Public servants are now required to conduct gender analysis when developing policies, to determine the impacts of government decisions on creating an equitable society.
More work to be done
While the Albanese government has touted the benefits of its signature packages for women, including the overhaul of the stage three tax cuts, and changes to the indexation of student loans, experts have criticised its inaction on lifting social welfare payments.
"I do think there is a concern about a sluggish economy and where that goes next because we know that in difficult economic periods, it's women who fare the worst," Ms Rizvi said.
While advocates "always want more", the progress that has been set in motion is important, Antonietta Sestito said.
Ms Sestito is the chief people and marking officer at La Trobe Financial, which partnered with Future Women to deliver the event.
"I think if you look at it holistically, we're making some great headway," she said.
"But as I said, we're never going to think that there's enough, because there's still so much to do for women."
The introduction of super on parental leave has also shown the impact of the private sector in setting standards.
"The non-government sector has had it for many, many years and ... we should be celebrating that the government sector has caught up there.
"It really goes towards closing the gap on superannuation for women, so I think we need to look forward to think, 'This is going to have a real impact for women as they approach retirement age in the future'."
