RECORD ACHIEVEMENT TOWARDS 50/50 WOMEN ON GOVERNMENT BOARDS

Record numbers of women are realising their leadership potential under the Turnbull Government with women now holding 42.7 percent of Government board positons, a rise of 2.2 percent over the last twelve months.

 

Today the Turnbull Government launched the Gender Balance on Australian Government Boards Report 2016-17 which shows the Turnbull Government is a clear leader in promoting equal representation on boards.

 

The report confirms that we now have the highest number of women on Government boards since public reporting began in 2010-11.

 

Over the last 12 months, women were appointed to 46.2 percent of the 729 new Government board appointments, with all areas across Government seeing highly competitive application processes.

 

Not only have we increased women’s participation on boards, we have also worked to ensure more women are represented on boards in traditionally male dominated sectors.

 

The Government has also focussed on equal representation of men and women at an individual board level rather than just looking at the overall total figures.

 

The Minister for Women, Michaelia Cash said the Government is leading the way by capitalising on the full potential of the workforce and putting the best possible people into leadership roles.

 

“We need our top performers on Government boards – women are achieving leadership roles in this highly competitive market which is great news for a prosperous economy into the future.

“The report highlights just how seriously the Government takes its commitment to gender balance and promoting women into leadership but there is more work to be done.

 

“We had a target of 40 percent, we surpassed that and then aimed higher by setting a new target of 50 percent. We are now well on our way to achieving this.”

 

To read this report in full please visit; https://www.pmc.gov.au/resource-centre/office-women/gender-balance-australian-government-boards-report-2016-17