Employers could circumvent anti-discrimination laws and pay women more in superannuation than men, if federal MPs agree to a Greens proposal to be introduced into Parliament on Wednesday.
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The proposal is aimed at improving the gender pay gap and removing the need for the employer to seek an exemption from the Sex Discrimination Act. It comes a day after the release of a ground-breaking study which identified women are underrepresented in management and are paid nearly 25 per cent less than men in the same work.
Greens MP Adam Bandt will introduce a Private Member's Bill into the House on Wednesday because he says many in the private sector want to help repair the gender pay gap but are put off by the regulations involved.
"Depending on the research women are retiring with between seventy and ninety thousand dollars less; women live longer so at the moment women are doing with less for longer," he said.
Mr Bandt said the bill would not be mandated and only make it easier for employers to do what some in the private sector are already doing.
"This would free it up so employers know it's something they can do if they want to but it will allow employers to take steps to address the financial disadvantage that many women are facing," he said.
Mr Bandt said he would not rush his bill to a vote because he is genuine about trying to get the Parliament's support.
"From the Coalition's point of view it would seem to be a reduction of red tape. Labor should support it because it's a move to redress inequality," he said.
"We're hoping to get this through with the unanimous support of the Parliament," he said.
The Minister assisting the Prime Minister Michaelia Cash said on Tuesday the government was focussed on improving gender equality through its paid parental scheme and the review into the childcare system when responding to the inequality survey.
