The Conversation - 16 March 2016, Miranda Stewart

Most government policies these days look gender neutral. But in substance, government policy often has a different impact on women and men, in distributing benefits and burdens of taxes and spending. How can we ensure that taxing and spending supports women’s equality?

The federal budget, expected in early May, is where the rubber hits the road when it comes to taxing and spending. Understanding the gender impact of the budget is also important to ensure that tax, spending and social programs aimed at improving economic growth and our society actually work.

Government policies are less effective, or may not succeed at all, if the different impact on women and men is not taken into account.

Australia was a leader but has fallen behind

Australia was a pioneer in gender budget analysis. From 1983 to 2013, the federal government produced a Women’s Budget Statement, while state and territory governments were also among the first in the world to scrutinise annual budgets for their impact on women and girls.

But in recent years we have fallen behind. In a 2014 OECD study, the Australian Government compared poorly on gender analysis. The study found that, apart from the occasional specific programs, Australia had no systematic process to assess the impact on women and men of taxing, spending or government programs, either before or after the government enacts legislation, appropriates funds or initiates policy.

A decade ago, Julie Bishop, then Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women’s Issues, emphasised Australia’s commitment to gender equality including budget analysis; in 2006 the Office for Women released Women ’06: 2006-07 Budget Information. The Tony Abbott-Joe Hockey government stopped this long standing commitment and the government did not release any women’s or gender analysis in either 2014 or 2015 - while at the same time debating crucial policy for women, including paid parental leave and childcare policy.

Read the full article by Miranda Stewart at The Conversation