12. Question No. 12—WomenBARBARA KURIGER (National—Taranaki - King Country) to the Minister for WomenQuestion No. 12—Women12. BARBARA KURIGER (National—Taranaki - King Country) to the Minister for Women: What has she done to support women in employment?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER (Minister for Women): Thank you Mr Speaker. I'm very proud of the work that I have done alongside of my ministerial colleagues in this Government to support women in employment during this term. We have amended the Equal Pay Act to rewrite the rules so workers in women-dominated sectors can get paid what they deserve. We've extended paid parental leave by six weeks. We significantly increased the pay for workers in female-dominated workforces like midwives nurses teacher-aides care workers and mental health and addiction support workers. We've reduced the imbalance in pay between men and women in the public sector resulting in the biggest improvements since data collection began. Women now make up 50 percent of public sector leadership roles. We've made flexible work the default in the public sector. We're on track to fill 50 percent of public sector board positions with women by 2021 and we've introduced domestic violence leave to support survivors so they won't be at risk of losing their job while they're dealing with a violent situation. As the member will be aware the global economic slowdown caused by COVID-19 is having a disproportionate impact on women in New Zealand. The wage subsidy has helped many women in female-dominated sectors like retail and hospitality weather the storm—but obviously not all. That's why as Minister for Women I'm working across Government with other Ministers to respond to employment issues that have arisen due to COVID-19 including through our $1.6 billion trades and apprenticeships training package and the $121 million for He Poutama Rangatahi. It's why we have support available for women to retrain and I note that compared to this time last year 20000 more women are participating in formal training.Barbara Kuriger: Has she seen the latest unemployment figures for women released by Statistics New Zealand yesterday showing that women made up more than 90 percent of the fall in employment; if so what is she doing to address this?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: Yes I have seen those numbers and it is concerning. As I stated in my answer to the primary question we have a work programme right across Government to respond to COVID-19 and we're taking into account in particular the impact on women on people aged over 50 and on Māori and Pasifika who are more at risk of being hit by this economic downturn.Barbara Kuriger: What is she doing to address the growing unemployment gender gap given that women fared worse in every field of the Statistics New Zealand labour market survey released yesterday?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: As I said in my answer to my primary question and the previous question the Government is well aware of the gendered impact of the COVID-19 slowdown and we are taking steps right across our Government policy with investment in infrastructure and there are opportunities to target women particularly the women who are most likely to be hard hit—Māori and Pasifika women and women over the age of 50.Barbara Kuriger: Has she had any discussion with the Minister of Agriculture in regards to attracting women to jobs in the food and fibre sector through the Opportunity Grows Here campaign and if she did what was the outcome of those discussions?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: I haven't spoken with the Minister of Agriculture about that but I'd be happy to do so.Barbara Kuriger: Does she think it is acceptable that women make up a mere 11 percent of the construction industry; and if not what steps has she taken to get women into jobs in the construction and infrastructure sector given that a shovel-ready infrastructure programme is a key plank in the Government's COVID-19 response?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: I welcome the member's suggestion. The Government has had—just like the previous Government did in the response to the Christchurch earthquakes—a focus on attracting women to the trades. The Ministry for Women has been involved in supporting those initiatives by the building and construction industry training organisations and I think there's a real opportunity with the focus on trades and apprenticeships to remove the barriers to women entering these workforces. Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern: Can the Minister confirm that the Minister for primary industries is frequently raising with primary industries—including the likes of horticulture—the importance of flexible hours and hours that take into account caregiving arrangements in order to attract women to the workforce and that the Government has considered specific initiatives like food in schools as those that we can invest in—SPEAKER: Order!Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern: —that are more likely—SPEAKER: Order! Order!Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: Yes I can and I'm sure that these conversations between all of us will be ongoing. We're well aware of the challenge. I'm really proud of the response this Government has taken. Going hard and early against COVID-19 has given us the best opportunity to ensure that we do continue to have employment. Our focus on women has been successful this term of Government and I imagine that it will continue to be successful in the next term of Government.