Politics Live Blog - ongoing (do not replace)

The Government’s decision to rewrite pay equity laws means 65,000 mainly female care and support workers will continue to be underpaid by $148.50 a week, the PSA says. 

They say that care and support workers have waited more than three years for the Government to fund their pay equity claim, meaning they have missed out on as of today about $19,480 in pay.

"Despite the Government’s spin, women workers are losing, and will continue to lose, money because of this sexist attack on lower paid, mainly female workers to plug a Budget hole caused by reckless tax cuts and tax breaks for wealthy landlords," said PSA Assistant Secretary Melissa Woolley.

The PSA said the Government's announcement will set back the care and support workers’ claim, one of the 33 pay equity claims covering at least 150,000 workers across education, health, funded, tertiary, local government and public service sectors.