When Labor came to Government, the gender pay gap persisted at over 14%, women retired with 25% less superannuation than men, and access to reproductive healthcare remained limited. Violence against women reached crisis levels, whilst women's participation in male-dominated industries and leadership positions lagged far behind. The Albanese government has systematically targeted each of these challenges through comprehensive policy reform and targeted investment.

The government's approach to ending violence against women centres on the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032, backed by over $3.4 billion in funding. The permanent Leaving Violence Program provides up to $5,000 in support for victim-survivors leaving violent relationships, with $925.2 million invested over five years. This builds on the successful trial which has already helped more than 45,000 Australians escape violence since 2021. The program combines financial assistance (up to $1,500 cash and $3,500 in goods and services) with 12 weeks of support services including safety planning.

Critically, the government has addressed the housing crisis facing women fleeing violence through multiple channels. The $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund designates 4,000 homes specifically for women and children impacted by family violence, whilst the National Agreement on Social Housing and Homelessness doubles dedicated funding for homelessness services to $400 million annually. The government has also reformed workplace laws to provide 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave, ensuring women don't have to choose between safety and financial security.

The government's $573.3 million women's health package addresses decades of underfunding in reproductive and menopausal healthcare. For the first time in over 30 years, new oral contraceptive pills (Yaz and Yasmin) have been added to the PBS, saving approximately 50,000 women up to $190 annually. Similarly, the first new menopausal hormone therapies in over 20 years are now PBS-listed, saving around 150,000 women up to $577 annually with a concession card. Medicare rebates for long-acting reversible contraception have increased by up to 150%, saving approximately 300,000 women up to $400 in out-of-pocket costs annually.

The expansion of specialist care for endometriosis and pelvic pain demonstrates the government's commitment to addressing conditions that disproportionately affect women. Eleven new clinics announced in November 2025 bring the total to 33 nationwide, with all clinics now supporting perimenopause and menopause symptoms. From July 2025, a new Medicare rebate for menopause health assessments will complement Australia's first-ever national clinical guidelines for menopause care, addressing a condition that severely impacts one in five Australian women.

The government has delivered historic progress in closing the gender pay gap, which has fallen from 14.1% in May 2022 to 11.5%. This represents the lowest gender pay gap on record, with women's average weekly earnings increasing by $173.80 since May 2022. Key reforms include banning pay secrecy clauses in employment contracts, establishing gender equality as an objective of the Fair Work Act, and introducing mandatory gender pay gap reporting for employers with 100 or more workers. The first-time publication of employer gender pay gaps in February 2024 created unprecedented transparency and accountability.

Wage increases in feminised industries have been transformative. The 15% pay rise for early childhood educators, delivered through $3.6 billion in funding, ensures a predominantly female workforce receives fair compensation. In aged care, the government supported wage increases of up to 28.5%. These targeted increases recognise the historical undervaluation of care work and directly address the structural drivers of the gender pay gap.

The government's legislation to pay superannuation on Paid Parental Leave from July 2025 addresses a critical source of retirement inequality. The $1.1 billion investment over four years means eligible parents will receive a 12% superannuation contribution on their Paid Parental Leave payments. When the scheme reaches its full 26 weeks in 2026, families could receive more than $3,000 in superannuation contributions for each birth or adoption, benefiting around 180,000 families annually. This reform directly targets the retirement savings gap, where women currently retire with 25% less superannuation than men.

The government has established record representation of women in leadership. Labor formed the first majority-woman federal ministry in Australian history, whilst women's representation on Australian Government boards has reached an unprecedented 54% (up from 33.4% in 2009). The government has also invested $5 million in Women for Election Australia to support women from all political backgrounds to run for public office. These concrete achievements contributed to Australia's significant improvement in the World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report, rising from 43rd to 26th in just one year.

Breaking down barriers in male-dominated industries requires sustained investment and cultural change. The $60.6 million Building Women's Careers Program funds partnerships to remove barriers for women in construction, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and digital technology. The $200 million Play Our Way program is funding 290 organisations to create better facilities and programs for women and girls across over 90 sports, addressing the participation gap where currently only 33.6% of women participate in weekly sport compared to 49.8% of men.

In education, the government is creating safer environments whilst driving greater participation in STEM. The $19.4 million National Student Ombudsman addresses gender-based violence in universities, where 16.1% of students have experienced sexual harassment. This is complemented by an $18.7 million National Higher Education Code requiring whole-of-organisation approaches to student safety. The government has invested $38.2 million over eight years to scale up Women in STEM programs, whilst the Australian Skills Guarantee includes targeted quotas for women in apprenticeships on major government projects.

These reforms share a common thread: they address structural inequalities that have persisted for decades, they invest in areas that previous governments neglected, and they recognise that gender equality benefits all Australians. From ensuring women can safely leave violent relationships, to closing the pay gap, to creating pathways into leadership and male-dominated industries, the government has delivered the most comprehensive gender equality agenda in Australian history.

Key achievements:

• Gender pay gap reduced to 11.5%, the lowest on record, with women's earnings up $173.80 per week since May 2022

• $925.2 million Leaving Violence Program providing up to $5,000 support for victim-survivors, building on trial that helped 45,000+ Australians

• $573.3 million women's health package including first new contraceptive pills on PBS in 30 years and first menopausal therapies in 20 years

• Superannuation on Paid Parental Leave from July 2025, investing $1.1 billion to address retirement gap where women retire with 25% less

• First majority-woman federal ministry and record 54% women on government boards (up from 33.4% in 2009)