DCA submission in response to the Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Bill 2024
DCA’s submission provided strong support for the proposed amendments outlined by this Bill which includes a target setting scheme requiring larger employers – with 500 or more employees – to commit to achieve, or make progress towards, their measurable targets. We concur with the informed opinions of many stakeholders that progress on gender equality in Australia has been too slow. This Bill aims to facilitate progress towards gender equality by accelerating the rate at which employers make progress against key gender equality metrics.
DCA's recommendations
DCA strongly supports the passage of the Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Bill 2024.
Resources to explore
Update
The federal parliament has now passed the Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Bill 2024. The new law requires large employers with 500+ employees to select 3 gender equality targets from a menu of numeric and action-oriented targets, with at least one target being numeric. Employers have 3 years to achieve or make progress on the targets. Australia is the first country in the world to require companies to select targets and make progress on gender equality.
DCA provided a formal submission and verbal testimony at a public hearing early this year. We supported the amendments contained in this Bill, recognising, like many other stakeholders, that progress towards gender equality in Australian workplaces has been too slow. You can read our submission above.
For more detail about this new law: Gender Equality Targets: Frequently Asked Questions | WGEA