Independent ACT Senate candidate Kim Rubenstein has called for a wide-ranging overhaul of Federal Government policies and spending to deliver gender equality and build safer environments for women at home and at work.

Professor Rubenstein said the urgent need to improve the status and security of women demanded a coordinated strategy to tackle the issues in parenting support, early childhood education and workplace culture.

She pledged to press immediately as an Independent Senator for a package of reforms including:

• 26 weeks of shared paid parental leave;
• universal childcare and properly resourced early childhood education;
• incentives to expand participation of men in occupations such as nursing, teaching and caring and to encourage women into male-dominated jobs and leadership in all workplaces;
• a full time Minister for Women and equal Cabinet representation for women;
• funding to rebuild the Office for Women and empower it to lead change; and
• urgent steps to implement all 28 recommendations of the Jenkins inquiry to end the toxic and dangerous workplace culture at Parliament House.

Professor Rubenstein said the Government needed to prioritise a comprehensive strategy to promote and resource gender equality in homes and workplaces – and ensure children grew up in an environment that was respectful of women and their rights.

“The threat to women’s safety is everywhere – in our workplaces, our homes and in our Parliament,” she said.

“We desperately need to work towards and fund an equal and just society – starting with the care and education of children. Sharing parental roles is essential to instil values of equality and remove prescriptive gender roles.

“Women’s safety is directly related to gender equity. Supporting women at home and at work will improve the lives of all Australians and this must be a priority of Government.”

Professor Rubenstein first proposed in late 2020 the inquiry into the culture at Parliament House led by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins.

She has fought for more than 25 years as a lawyer, university teacher, and advisor to both sides of politics to achieve gender equity.