The taskforce recommended several immediate changes,including abolishing the childcare subsidy activity test as a first step towards universal access to early childhood education and care,legislating the payment of super on all paid parental leave,and supporting Fair Work actions to increase childcare workers’ pay.
Gallagher said the government was examining the report and no decisions about adopting new policies from its recommendations had been made.
“We will use this report as we are making further decisions,” she said on Monday.
Gallagher added that changes the government enacted in the October and May budgets,such as increasing government paid parental leave to 26 weeks,were examples of working to shift the dial on equality while working within budget constraints.
Asked whether any of the recommendations were likely to be adopted as part of the government’s next budget in May 2024,Gallagher said those decisions were yet to be made.
The taskforce,headed by prominent businesswoman Sam Mostyn,was set up by the federal government last year to provide independent advice on boosting women’s participation in the economy.