WIFT WELCOMES NEW GENDER EQUALITY ACT
A groundbreaking new act passed by federal parliament last week has made Australia the first country in the world to mandate gender equality targets.
The Setting Gender Equality Targets Act was a recommendation of a review of the Workplace Gender Equality Act (2012) in 2021 as an effective lever to improve workplace gender equality.
The new laws require large employers with 500 or more employees to select 3 gender equality targets from a menu of numeric and action-oriented targets. Priority areas for intentional action cover the gender pay gap, workforce and board composition, support for carers and parents, consultation, and prevention of sexual harassment. The employers will have 3 years to achieve, or make progress on, each of their selected targets.
Whilst 56% of the Australian employers covered by these reforms are already setting gender equality targets, there's still room for greater change. As a national advocate for gender equality in the Australian screen industry, WIFT Australia welcomes these laws which will affect nearly 10,000 Australians.
To read more about how the new laws could affect your workplace, visit the Workplace Gender Equality Agency website.