Commonwealth Gender Equality Strategy update: Working for Women

The Commonwealth Government has released its strategy for moving towards gender equality through internal government policy, law reform, and changes to procurement requirements.

Working for Women: A Strategy for Gender Equality aims to advance gender equality in Australia across five priority areas: gender-based violence, unpaid and paid care, economic equality and security, health, and leadership, representation and decision-making. The strategy also outlines the Government’s plan for implementation through new policies and procedures.

Impact on Commonwealth entities

While the strategy has impacts beyond the public sector, the Government acknowledges the Commonwealth’s position as a major employer with considerable influence on gender equality in the workplace.

The strategy emphasises the responsibility of APS departments to take leadership on gender equality. A new reporting framework will track progress, including annual departmental reports on efforts towards gender equality. Representation targets for Australian Government Boards and advisory bodies will also be strengthened, setting standards for chairs, co-chairs and portfolios.

The Government has also signalled its intent to implement ‘gender responsive budgeting’ to better incorporate the gender impact of budget processes in funding prioritisation decisions.

Private sector impacts

The strategy introduces two mechanisms to promote gender equality in the private sector.

First, the Government will introduce new rules for businesses bidding for government contracts. Employers with 500 or more employees will be required to achieve targets against at least three gender equality indicators set out in the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 (Cth) (Act). The indicators cover the gender composition of governing bodies and of the workforce, equal remuneration, flexibility and care friendly work arrangements, workplace consultation on gender equality, and efforts to prevent and address sexual harassment.

The new rules will build on existing requirements that businesses that employ 100 or more people must be compliant with the Act to win certain tenders. Employers with 500 or more employees must have policies in place to support the gender equality indicators under the Act but are not yet required to achieve targets against those indicators.

Secondly, the strategy flags the Government’s intention to create a voluntary public supplier register to track the award of Government contracts to businesses owned and led by women.

Preparing your organisation

While specific requirements and policy are not yet outlined, organisations should be aware of the Government’s focus on strengthening gender equality standards.

Private sector organisations should stay informed about potential new procurement standards and consider the impact of workforce and leadership composition on eligibility for government contracts. Commonwealth agencies should prepare for further announcements regarding gender responsive budgeting, reporting obligations, and representation standards.