Gender Equity Discussions in the Senate (10/02/2025)

• Gender Equity and Women’s Health Initiatives (Page 33): Senator Katy Gallagher, Minister for the Public Service and Finance, highlighted recent government efforts to improve women’s health, including the listing of new oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapies, effective from March 1. She underscored the significance of these measures in making healthcare more affordable for women, further announcing a half a billion dollar budget dedicated to women’s health improvements, which includes a new Medicare rebate specifically for GP menopause health assessments.

• Access to Surgical Abortions (Page 33): Senator Larissa Waters raised critical concerns regarding the lack of access and affordability of surgical abortions in rural Australia, referring to regions described as “abortion deserts.” She questioned whether the Albanese government intended to revert to its 2019 policy that mandated public hospitals to provide surgical abortions in order to receive Commonwealth funding.

• Government’s Response to Abortion Accessibility (Page 33): In her response, Senator Gallagher acknowledged the government’s efforts in enhancing access to non-surgical medical abortions but noted that the responsibility for hospital operations, including the provision of surgical procedures, lies with state governments. She expressed the intent to support states in improving their funding for healthcare services without imposing operational mandates.

• Gender Care and Abortion Access Discussion (Page 33): Senator Waters followed up with Gallagher regarding the apparent disparities in the government’s handling of gender care versus surgical abortion accessibility, criticising the inconsistency demonstrated in recent policies and actions.

• Closing the Gap for Indigenous Women (Pages 34): Senator Malarndirri McCarthy highlighted efforts towards closing the gap for First Nations Australians, which includes initiatives directly improving the employment opportunities for Indigenous women through new job creation programs in remote regions, aimed at addressing economic disparities.

• Future Measures for Closing the Gap (Page 34): Senator Jana Stewart queried about future measures related to the Closing the Gap initiative. Senator McCarthy provided insights into ongoing projects, such as affordable housing initiatives and family support programs, indicating a commitment to improve the living conditions and opportunities for Indigenous families, particularly women.

These discussions revealed an ongoing commitment among some Senators to enhance gender equity, improve women’s health services, and address systemic barriers faced by women, especially in rural and Indigenous contexts.