To coincide with the first public hearings of the Victorian Parliament’s Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) inquiry, GEN VIC and its research partner, Per Capita, have published ‘Back on Track: Gender Responsive Budgeting’, calling for greater investment in gender equality and the economic wellbeing of Victorian women.

“The economic security of Victorian women – addressing the gender pay gap, financial penalties for raising children and gender segregation in the Victorian workforce – relies on a rigorous analysis of the state budget and Victorian economy,” said Tanja Kovac, CEO of Gender Equity Victoria.

“We have seen a commitment from the Victorian Government to gender equality budget statements through the Department of Treasury and Finance. Now is the time to take the next step and commit to the full implementation of gender responsive budgeting,” said Ms Kovac.

The submission recommends:

• Adopting global best practice in the establishment, implementation and resourcing of gender responsive budgeting in the State of Victoria,
• Greater research and analysis capacity within the Department of Treasury & Finance and Office For Women, including the establishment of specialist economics units to plan, implement and evaluate the differential impact of the Victorian economy on men, women and gender diverse people.
• The establishment of a Gender Equality Budget Group, bringing together economists, gender equity experts, community organisations and government officials to inform policy development.

“Australia was once a world leader in gender responsive budgeting – we invented it back in the 1980s – but we’re now lagging well behind other OECD countries, who are delivering greater economic prosperity for women,” said Emma Dawson, CEO of Per Capita

“Economies all across the world are benefiting from investment in gender responsive budgeting because it delivers to both the hip pocket of women and the state’s bottom line.”

Read our full submission here: Back On Track: Gender Responsive Budgeting Submission 

 

What is Gender Responsive Budgeting?

 “Gender responsive budgeting is an analysis of the impact of the budget on gender equality and the budget on gender equality and the process of changing budgetary decision-making priorities” – Emeritus Professor of economics Rhonda Sharp AM.

Gender responsive budgeting (GRB) is a tool for responsible financial management. By addressing the economic and fiscal impacts of the State Budget on women and gender diverse people, GRB ensures that the Victorian economy is serving and benefiting everyone.

GRB ensures government allocates resources fairly in ways that enhance gender equity. It makes visible the different circumstances and economic contributions of men, women and gender diverse people as individuals, rather than within household units.

In a decade, Australia has slid from a high of 15 on the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap List, to 39. Australia is behind New Zealand, all Nordic countries, the Philippines and Afghanistan.

GRB can help change this. Australia was once a world leader in GRB. In 1984, Dr Anne Summers led the designing of a world-first pilot program resulting in the Women’s Budget Statement – a 300 page analysis of the Australian economy and its impact on women.

In 2014, Australia stopped producing the statement and commitment to Gender Responsive Budgeting has eroded over the last two decades. But things can change. Getting gender responsive budgeting back on track will create a more gender equal society. That’s why we think GRB and improving economic outcomes for Victorian women should be a key goal of Government.

To learn more, watch our expert panel on Gender Responsive Budgeting.