Current Activities and Projects
AGEC will achieve its mission through direct programs, targeted research, public advocacy and policy development as well as through support for the initiatives of other like-minded organisations. AGEC is currently involved in multiple initiatives. Explore what we are currently doing below.
Current Campaigns
AGEC Newsletters
Read AGEC’s Quarterly Newsletter to catch up on what we’ve been doing.
AGEC Newsletter September 2023
AGEC Federal Election Newsletter#3 May 2022
AGEC Federal Election Newsletter#2 May 2022
The Director’s Blog
Each month an AGEC Board member provides a blog that reflects on current topics and key priorities for gender equality.
Gender Equality Lessons from Women on Boards
In July, 2021, with the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and the University of Queensland (UQ), AGEC investigated how Australia had reached over 34% women on its ASX200 boards as well as implications for the future.
In this blog, Dr Terry Fitzsimmons, AGEC’s Managing Director and Senior Lecturer at the University of Queensland Business School, explains what the study found and explores what we can learn from it in further gender equality in the workplace.
Respect@Work – what you can do today to drive change
Brittany Higgins and Grace Tame’s courageous story telling has ignited a fire within all of us who are working hard to shift societal and workplace attitudes to ensure safety and respect at work for everyone. This fire will not be extinguished by talk – only by action.
So how do we move from talk to action – what are the actions we can take as leaders in our own organisation TODAY?
In this blog Louise Weine explores the current context and attempt to provide you with links to useful resources and a clear pathway to action.
Lifting Australia’s gender equity performance: What we can salvage from a whirlwind 2021?
In our Inaugural Director’s Blog in May 2021 Tara Diamond considers how Australia is performing on gender equality.
What the events of the last year have taught us and where we need to focus to make real and lasting change in so many areas of work and life for women to achieve equality.
News
March 2024 – AGEC welcomes release of Working for Women the Federal Government’s Gender Equality Strategy
AGEC commends the Federal Government's National Gender Equality Strategy for demonstrating its ongoing commitment to improving gender equality in Australia. The strategy includes many of the initiatives AGEC has long advocated for, such as superannuation on paid...
January 2024 – AGEC 2024 – 2025 Pre Budget Submission
AGEC has once again presented to government a comprehensive FY24-25 Pre Budget submission renewing calls for a National Gender Equality Strategy including $50m for long-term initiatives to identify and eliminate entrenched gender stereotypes, the root causes of so...
September 2023 – A modern manifesto and roadmap to the future
Following extensive member consultation AGEC has launched its refreshed manifesto and its strategic goals. Importantly our vision remains the same - a gender equal Australia. We have clarified our focus as the collective voice for our members and highlighted the...
April 2023 – AGEC Submission on National Gender Equality Strategy
AGEC presses the Government for a truly comprehensive National Strategy on Gender Equality addressing the root causes of gender inequality not just its symptoms. Importantly it must shift entrenched gender stereotypes through early childhood education, media and the...
January 2023 – AGEC 2023-2024 Pre Budget Submission – Now is the Time for a Gender Equal Australia
The Australian Gender Equality Council's FY23-24 Pre Budget Submission has doubled down on the call for a formal national gender equality strategy through a comprehensive consultation process and consideration of the utility and complexity of existing legislation and...
Policy Position Statements
Universal Childcare – the Power to Transform our Economy
The 2021 Federal Budget was a missed opportunity for significant economic reform — something that would inject billions of dollars into the Australian economy and a significant step toward achieving true gender equality in the workplace. The economic argument for universal early childhood education is strong; what makes it compelling is the opportunity for step change for gender equality and providing Australian children with quality early learning for a better future. AGEC believes this a once in a lifetime opportunity to use stimulus measures for longer term economic reform. #ItsTime
AGEC calls for Decisive Action to end Sexual Harassment
The Australian Gender Equality Council believes all people must be respected and be safe from the threat of violence and sexual harassment. We call upon the Prime Minister, National Cabinet and every elected Member of Parliament to act against gendered violence in the Parliamentary workplace as an example to every Australian workplace. All 55 recommendations of the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s 2020 Report must be implemented as a top priority, and the government must ratify the International Convention on eliminating violence and harassment at work. #ItsTime
Current Projects
March 2024 – National Gender Equality Strategy : Working for Women
AGEC has consistently advocated for successive governments to develop a truly comprehensive National Gender Equality Strategy, which address the causes not just the symptoms of gender inequality. The Federal Government's release in March 2024 of Working for Women is...
August 2022 – AGEC & NAWIC Partner UQ in COVID-19 Report
UQ Business School has released a comprehensive Report on the impact of COVID-19 on women. The study undertaken with the support of AGEC and, one of its founding members, NAWIC, reveals the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on Australian women and provides...
AGEC instrumental in groundbreaking report – Towards Board Gender Parity
Australian Gender Equality Council (AGEC) is proud to launch the Towards Board Gender Parity report, which showcases how Australia has now reached 30% of women on boards, making it one of three countries to do so without the imposition of legislated quotas. AGEC...
Leading Workplace Practice in Gender Equality – Study Report
The definitive Report on how to implement gender equality in the workplace sets out the findings of a comprehensive study led by AGEC CEO, Dr Terry Fitzsimmons and Director of UQ’s AIBE Centre for Gender Equality in the Workplace, together with Dr Miriam Yates and...
AGEC Seeks Support for National HUGE Study
Building on the success of the Hands Up for Gender Equality Study and Report, AGEC and AIBE Center for Gender Equality in the Workplace, have developed a proposal to undertake a comprehensive National Study into boys and girls confidence, leadership and career intentions. AGEC and AIBE are seeking assistance and co-operation from the Federal and State Governments to undertake the National Study and financial contributions from business and government to carry it out. The Study aligns with the STEM Decadal plan and has received positive responses from many parts of the community and our Member Organisations. This comprehensive National Study will provide important evidence on which to base school and community based initiatives to eliminate gender bias in our schooling system and community.