40 years of progress. Shaping the future of work together
Anniversaries are an opportunity to take stock and ask what the future should look like.
This week is WGEA’s anniversary. The Affirmative Action (Equal Opportunity for Women) Act which established our predecessor the Affirmative Action Agency was passed 40 years ago.
Forty years ago, Australia embraced a simple but important idea: employers have a powerful role to play in creating opportunity. By asking organisations to identify barriers and take action to remove them, the original legislation laid the foundations for today’s regulatory framework which combines action with benchmarking, transparency and accountability for outcomes.
Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC, Governor-General of Australia hosted an anniversary event at Government House attended by leaders from government, business and the gender equality community.
The panel discussion acknowledged how the conversation has evolved away from changing women to ‘fit’ workplaces and towards: how does work itself need to change? The challenge is to design work and workplaces that reflect the realities of modern life and enable everyone to participate, contribute and succeed.
This challenge requires action across sectors, industries and workplaces. Increasingly, organisations are asking practical questions about how work can be organised differently What has encouraged me in conversations with employers, industry and employee groups and stakeholders is the commitment to using evidence to guide action, sharing what works and making progress together. to support both productivity and fairness.
The imperative transcends gender equality. Australia has invested enormously in the skills, education and potential of its people. At the same time, we face ongoing skills shortages, demographic change and persistent productivity challenges. The question is no longer simply whether women are participating in the workforce. It is whether we are making the most of Australia's talent.
If we want a productive economy and thriving organisations, we need workplaces that attract, develop and retain talent. When work is designed well, workforce participation grows, organisations gain access to a broader talent pool and employees can better combine work and care responsibilities. Creating better workplaces is not only fairer. It is smarter.
As we reflect on the achievements of the past 4 decades, our focus must remain firmly on the future. The question is not whether change is possible. The question is how ambitious we are prepared to be in redesigning work so that it unlocks talent, strengthens productivity and expands opportunity for everyone.
Perhaps the most important question for the next 40 years is this: what is the idea that seems ambitious today, but in another 40 years will leave us wondering why it ever seemed so difficult?
Together, we can help shape the future of work for the generations that follow.
I encourage you to explore our 40-year story and discover how Australia's workplace gender equality framework has evolved, and why its next chapter matters just as much as its first.