Workplace Gender Equality Agency

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) is an Australian Government statutory agency responsible for promoting and improving gender equality in Australian workplaces. The agency was created by the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 and provides employers with advice, practical tools and education to help them improve gender equality.[5] The Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 was enacted by an amendment to the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999, that changed its name to the Workplace Gender Equality Act and correspondingly changed the name of the Equality Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.[6] The Workplace Gender Equality Agency is part of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Workplace Gender Equality Agency
Workplace Gender Equality Agency logo
Agency overview
FormedDecember 6, 2012 (2012-12-06)[1]
JurisdictionAustralia
Headquarters309 Kent Street, Sydney
Minister responsible
Agency executive
Parent departmentDepartment of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Key document
  • Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012
Websitewgea.gov.au

Activities

Non-public sector employers with 100 or more staff are required to report to the agency annually, between 1 April-31 May, against six gender equality indicators:[7]

  1. gender composition of the workforce
  2. gender composition of governing bodies of relevant employers
  3. equal remuneration between women and men
  4. availability and utility of employment terms, conditions and practices relating to flexible working arrangements for employees and to working arrangements supporting employees with family or caring responsibilities
  5. consultation with employees on issues concerning gender equality in the workplace
  6. any other matters specified by the Minister: sex-based harassment and discrimination

The Agency uses the data to develop confidential and customised Competitor Analysis Benchmark Reports for employers, that allow them to compare their performance to their peers.

The WGEA dataset is unique, covering 4 million employees or around 40% of the Australian workforce, providing a detailed insight into the state of gender equality in Australian workplaces, and at an industry and sector level.

The WGEA's data is publicly available and searchable at http://data.wgea.gov.au

Key statistics

The following statistics were sourced from WGEA's 2017-18 dataset:https://www.wgea.gov.au/data/wgea-research/australias-gender-equality-scorecard

  • Australia's gender pay gap is 21.3% based on full-time total remuneration, and 16.2% based on full-time base remuneration.
  • 17.1% of CEOs are women
  • 30.5% of Key Management Personnel positions held by women
  • 39.1% of managers are women
  • 6.4% of management positions are part-time
  • 70.7% of employers have a flexible working policy or strategy
  • 74.3% have an overall gender equality strategy and/or policy
  • 46.9% of employers have a domestic violence policy or strategy

Agency director

Libby Lyons was appointed as Director of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency for a period of five years from October 2015. Prior to joining the Agency, she held senior management roles across the corporate and government sectors in the energy, resources and telecommunications industries. She started her working life as a primary school teacher. Lyons is the granddaughter of Dame Enid Lyons and Joseph Lyons, a former Prime Minister of Australia.[8]

References
  1. "Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012". Federal Register of Legislation. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  2. "Annual Report 2018-19" (PDF). Workplace Gender Equality Agency. 31 October 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  3. "Senator the Hon Marise Payne". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  4. "Our leadership team". Workplace Gender Equality Agency. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  5. "Our role". Workplace Gender Equality Agency. Australian Government. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  6. FaHCSIA. "Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Amendment Bill 2012". www.legislation.gov.au. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  7. http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2012C00899/Download The Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012
  8. "The new WGEA head Libby Lyons has famous relatives". Financial Review. Australia.
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