A report into economic equality commissioned by the federal government shows the country is $128 billion poorer from not including women properly.
Barriers to women fully participating in the workforce are costing the Australian economy $128 billion as a federal government-appointed taskforce calls for wholesale changes to the tax system, how public contracts are awarded and introduction of year-long paid parental leave.
Mostyn said it would take a decade to implement changes proposed by the taskforce, which had been told by women of all ages that their role in the economy had been under-valued and belittled for too long at a huge cost to the country. The taskforce noted that up to 30 per cent of Australian men did not believe gender inequality exists.
The taskforce found the current system was misaligned, trapping women in poverty and excluding them from fully participating in the economy.