Released 25/07/2017
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Mick Gentleman, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to increasing the representation and success of women within the Territory’s emergency services in the lead up to International Women’s Day.
“The four newest female recruits to join ACT Fire & Rescue have been on the job for five months now and are setting a great example for women who aspire to join the service in future years,” Minister Gentleman said.
“The next recruitment intake will have a target of 50 per cent women, like the previous process.
“This is a concrete action of the ACT Emergency Services Agency (ESA) Women in Emergency Services Strategy, introduced in November 2015, which sets out a pathway to a diverse and inclusive workforce with the capacity to operate in a changing environment.
“The objective of the strategy is to recruit more women into emergency services within the ESA, as well as supporting more women into leadership roles.
“The WIES Strategy will also assist in achieving the ACT Government’s objectives in the Women’s Plan 2016-26 in terms of economic security for women and creating opportunities for leadership roles for women in the public sector.”
The WIES Strategy is made up of initiatives to:
- train ESA staff to be aware of gender bias and stereotyping through Respect, Equity and Diversity
Framework training and refresher programs;
- identify potential gender barriers and take action to reduce or eliminate their impact on women
in the ESA, including aptitude testing and standards; - develop targets where needed and implement access and equity or equal employment
opportunity programs to meet them; - receive feedback from staff to ensure that gender-related issues are addressed proactively; and
- re-examine our employment conditions for both men and women, including flexible working
arrangements.
“The ACT Government fully supports these initiatives and will continue to look for opportunities to ensure our most talented individuals, women and men, thrive in our emergency services,” Minister Gentleman concluded.
- Statement ends -
Mick Gentleman, MLA | Media Releases