ACTU National Forum for the Advancing Gender Equality in Gender Segregated Industries grant program

Thank you Michele. I acknowledge the Wurundjeri people as the Traditional Owners of the lands where we meet today. I pay my respects to their Elders, past and present.

I also acknowledge the leaders and officials from trades and labour councils, gathered here from across the country. And if you will indulge me, I want to take this opportunity to recognise the enormous contribution of Michele, as President of the ACTU. Michele has been an incredible advocate for working women, over many decades.

It has been a real privilege to work with Michele as part of the first all-female leadership team at the ACTU, together with Sally McManus. Especially because Michele has been such a strong supporter of the grant program that is the reason we are here this morning. The Albanese Labor Government is committed to ensuring that every Australian worker has the opportunity to build a secure, rewarding career – regardless of their gender.

That’s why we are really pleased to provide funding to Trades and Labour Councils, as well as peak business organisations, through our Government’s grant program to address gender segregation in Australia. This program is about opening opportunities for women as individuals to enter male-dominated industries. But it’s also focused on tackling the systemic barriers that women in those industries face.

Addressing gender segregation is a critical part of ensuring we have a strong and resilient economy. Because of course, gender equality is not just a social issue – it’s an economic priority. Australia cannot reach its full potential if half the population are locked out of key industries.

Unfortunately, Australia has some of the highest rates of gender segregation amongst advanced economies. Women continue to be over-represented in lower-paid industries. And under-represented in many of the sectors that are critical to Australia’s future growth – like trades, engineering, tech and manufacturing.

This segregation has real consequences for female workers. Industry segregation is a major driver of the gender pay gap. And the evidence shows that pay gaps are largest in the most segregated jobs.

But it also has negative consequences for our economy. Research shows that occupational shortages get worse as gender segregation intensifies. So if we want a stronger economy, we need to make sure that there is support at the individual level for women entering these industries.

But we also need to ensure that the systematic barriers to women staying and thriving in these industries are addressed. Because the reality is that many women still encounter barriers that make it harder to stay and lead within male-dominated industries. Like workplace harassment.

Or a lack of appropriate equipment and facilities. Or limited access to mentoring and career development, that is specifically designed for women’s experiences. That’s why it is really exciting to see this event taking place to discuss how to create lasting change, at the workplace, occupation and industry level.

And I know that over the next two days, you’ll be hearing about some of the highlights and lessons from each TLC’s project. Of course, one of the really important elements of this grant program is that it is tripartite, funding worker-led and employer-led projects equally. Because the challenge of gender segregation requires us all – employers, unions and government – to work together.

I’ve been able to visit a few grant recipients around the country over the last few months, to see their projects in action for myself. Just this morning, I went to a train station here in Melbourne with the RTBU and Victoria Trades Hall Council to meet some of their participants from the rail industry, and hear about how it had helped them. In March, I spoke at ACCI’s inaugural Women in Small Business Summit, as part of their initiative to boost women’s ownership and leadership in small business.

I visited Unions NSW to hear how they are working with male allies to deliver behavioural change training, to create safe and respectful work environments. And I was able to visit Unions SA in Adelaide a few weeks ago, to see one of their workshops. I heard from one of the participants, Matt, who is an engineer and workplace delegate.

Matt wanted to learn more about how he could better support his female colleagues in a pretty male-dominated industry. He said he had seen a lot of female colleagues leave the industry, because they felt unsafe. But he also wanted to do the training so he had a better idea of how to identify and call out behaviour from his male colleagues.

As Matt said, it’s great to see more women entering fields like engineering. But those workplaces need to adapt, to ensure that women are supported to remain in those industries, and so that workplaces get the benefit of having a diverse group of people with diverse ideas. It is really heartening to see projects that are also aimed at training and educating men.

Because of course – and I know that you will all agree with me here – gender segregation is not a problem that women can fix on their own. And nor should they. Bringing men along on the journey and making them a part of the solution is a critical part of breaking down those barriers.

That is why the projects funded through these grants are so important, to create practical, workplace-based initiatives that engage men as allies, and drive cultural change. And I am pleased that the great work already underway will continue, with our Government’s extension of the grant program for another two years. This extension will deliver an additional $28 million across both employer-led and worker-led projects – on top of the original $16 million investment.

This extra funding will help each grant recipient build on the lessons and evidence base from their pilot programs. And it is my hope that this will lead to strong, practical recommendations to improve workplace cultures and safety for women. Of course, this grant program is only one element of our Government’s commitment to gender equality in the workforce.

Our Government legislated to put gender equality at the heart of the Fair Work Act. Our Government’s record investment in Free TAFE is helping more women enter non-traditional sectors, like construction and IT. And our Government has also invested $54 million in the Building Women’s Careers program, to support projects that drive cultural and structural change in male-dominated industries like construction, clean energy and technology.

Of course, there are challenges that remain. But I am really pleased that we are seeing positive signs of progress. Women’s workforce participation is at record levels.

The gender pay gap has fallen to its lowest level on record. And last year, Australia achieved its highest ever position in the World Economic Forum’s global ranking for gender equality. Our Government is absolutely committed to continuing to improve economic participation and security for female workers.

Because economic security is central to independence and opportunity. So please enjoy the rest of this Forum, and make the most of the next couple of days. I am really looking forward to hearing the results of all your projects, as we work together to tackle gender segregation.

And make Australian workplaces safer, more respectful and more equitable.