The Public Accounts and Estimates Committee has launched a new public inquiry into the way the state government budget addresses gender equality. The Committee recognises that all budgets have gender implications, and that they will be engaging with individuals and organisations across Victoria to inform the Inquiry to provide recommendations to the Victorian Parliament.

Gender Responsive Budgeting uses tools, methods and procedures in the budget cycle to assess the impact of government spending on citizens and to ensure that budgets promote gender equity. In practice, Gender Responsive Budgeting looks at distribution of resources in money, time, paid and unpaid labour and attempts to achieve a fair distribution of resources between men and women. GRB is widely used across OECD countries.

It is known that a more gender equitable budget results in economic benefits for everyone, with a recent research report published in Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health showing substantial future cost avoidance for government budgets.[1]

“We must recognise that the government budget impacts women and girls, and men and boys, differently.” Said Kit McMahon, Chair of GEN VIC.

“Presently we’re not seeing gender regarded as a significant factor in determining yearly public budgets. This means that we are missing critical opportunities for gender equity and for our economy.”

“There are deep-rooted attitudes, norms and stereotypes regarding gender roles and positions which play out on government budgets. Gender Responsive Budgeting can help us see, understand and correct these inequities.”

Gender Equity Victoria is undergoing a statewide consultation with its members and stakeholders to look at how the Victorian budget could best include gender equity measures to ensure gender justice.

Read more here: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/paec/inquiry/980

–ENDS

[1] Masters, R, Anwar E, Collinds B et al Return on investment of public health interventions: a systemic review, J Epidemiol Community Health 2017:71:827-834