Released 14/05/2018
The upcoming ACT Budget will deliver new investment to continue important work underway right across government to implement key actions under the ACT Women’s Plan, which will see stronger promotion of gender equality throughout the ACT.
As our city grows, the Government is ensuring that we continue to focus on building an even more inclusive community that ensures all Canberrans have equal opportunities to participate actively in the things they want.
This additional funding to be provided to the Office for Women, will support delivery of a suite of initiatives designed to drive outcomes in gender equality including:
- Community engagement to promote gender equality in the ACT;
- Improving the evidence base related to the gender equality;
- Training to reduce and eliminate unconscious bias across government;
- Promoting diversity on boards through the diversity register; and
- Delivering a board traineeship program for women
Importantly, the Office for Women is resourced and charged with the responsibility of working with each and every government directorate to drive and deliver the commitments identified under the ACT Women’s Plan.
This additional investment will assist the broader community, including corporate businesses and community not-for-profit organisations, by providing additional tools to better address gender inequality in their own spheres of influence, and to give women in the community direct access to policy makers.
The ACT Women’s Plan is a crucial step in addressing the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions, and in industries that are traditionally male-dominated.
To maintain and improve on our achievements as a national leader in delivering diversity for ACT boards and committees, investment will go to delivering and promoting the Diversity Register. Once up and fully operational, the Diversity Register will connect women and people from a range of backgrounds with available board positions, as well as training and networking opportunities.
The funding will also deliver a board traineeship program, particularly focused on industries where female representation is low and on sporting associations who are required to meet the target of 40 per cent female representation by 2020. Training packages, strategies and tools will be developed which provide useful information for the whole community on how unconscious bias can be addressed, and how to create a more respectful environment.
This investment of $696,000 to implement actions under the ACT Women’s Plan and to promote gender equality more broadly shows the Government’s ongoing commitment and leadership in advancing the status of women at work and in our community.
The Canberra community has long led the nation on equality and inclusiveness for women and other communities who face barriers to full inclusion. This new support to deliver the priority initiatives under the ACT Women’s Plan will mean we can continue making progress towards the full and equal participation of women in all aspects of our community.
This new investment in inclusion and equality is just one of the ways the ACT Government is growing services for our growing city through the 2018 Budget.
- Statement ends -
Yvette Berry, MLA | Media Releases
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