Government suppliers could miss out on $70 billion in lucrative procurement contracts if they fail to meet gender equality targets as the Federal Government launches its national gender equality strategy.
Businesses with at least 500 employees will need to commit to targets to improve gender equality in their workplaces with a focus on the gender makeup of their boards and the workforce.
Other key areas will include equal pay, flexible working arrangements, workplace consultation on gender equality, and efforts to prevent and address sexual harassment.
Suppliers will not only have to set targets but also prove that they are making progress in these areas.
The government failed to specify what these targets will be, but it is believed the Workplace Gender Equality Agency is in the process of consulting to draw them up.
Speaking at the National Press Club last week, Minister for Women Katy Gallagher said the government would use its purchasing power to better support gender equality outcomes.
“My experience is companies work with us, they want government work.
“They want to work with government and so this, I think, puts more responsibilities on them. But I don’t think it’s one they will shrug or walk away from,” she said in her address.
When quizzed by journalists on whether the new supplier requirement is a ‘carrot or a stick’, Senator Gallagher said “It’s a carrot.”
She added, “There’s a rule in place already, this is sort of enhancing that rule about you know, working with companies to sort of mark out a pathway or a plan forward. So, I see it as a carrot.”
Working for Women: A Strategy for Gender Equality outlines the government’s vision for gender equality across the country over the next 10 years, while identifying where to focus attention and future reforms.
It will cover five priority areas including health, gender-based violence, unpaid and paid care, economic equality and security, plus leadership, representation and decision-making.
The strategy will be informed by thousands of individuals and groups from across Australia including women’s advocacy groups, businesses, unions and civil society.
Senator Gallagher said, “The national strategy envisions a future of equality in Australia — for all Australians.
“That means an Australia where your gender doesn’t define how your life unfolds — the rights you enjoy, the choices you make, the chances you get, or the opportunities you pursue, or the outcomes from all of this.
“This strategy is all about bringing people together, because when an economy and a society works for women, it works for us all. A fairer go for women means a better country for everyone.”
She added that currently “women feel that the system is working against them”, which is compounded by economic uncertainty and cost of living pressures.
The Australian Gender Equality Council (AGEC), a not-for-profit organisation representing over 500,000 women across 25 industry and community sectors, has commended the federal government.
AGEC Chair, Coral Ross AM said, “We are delighted that the government declares that gender equality is a human right, that it must be inclusive and intersectional and that it benefits everyone.
“While there is still a long way to go in achieving true gender equality in this country, we are delighted to see that the government says that gender equality must be considered at the beginning of everything it does.
“We are gratified that the government acknowledges gender attitudes and stereotypes are the foundation of gender inequality. The strategy represents a mix of explaining what has occurred in the past, what is currently happening and how to monitor progress.”
