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We're the independent peak body for organisations, practitioners and individuals promoting gender equity in Victoria.

Back on Track: Budget equality essential to Victoria’s economic performance and wellbeing

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To coincide with the first public hearings of the Victorian Parliament’s Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) inquiry today, 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.”

The GEN VIC Per Capita Submission can be downloaded at https://www.genvic.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/GEN-VIC-Per-Capita-Gender-Responsive-Budgeting-Submission-2019.pdf

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