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NFAW Newsletter – Autumn 2021
IN THIS ISSUE
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President’s Message
Rarely has there been such a focus in Australia on gender equality. There is overwhelming national demand for equality and the Government has been found wanting in numerous ways: the Brittany Higgins allegations, the allegations against Porter, the “lying cow” comment from Linda Reynolds, the shocking revelations about staff behaviour, and claims about Eric Abetz and Andrew Laming.
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NFAW – building on our 30-year track record and working with partners – seeks to contribute to this momentum for change, supporting the March4Justice and other efforts (see more below).
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As well as joining campaigns and petitions, NFAW has written to the Prime Minister calling for implementation of the Respect@Work report from the Sex Discrimination Commissioner (which has been awaiting government action for more than a year), for the Attorney-General to urgently convene a meeting of all relevant Ministers to consider a new approach to dealing with sexual violence within our justice system, and for the development of Gender Equality legislation, with the aim of improving and promoting equality for all, both in and beyond the workplace.
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We note with interest a new Cabinet taskforce on women’s equality, safety, economic security, health and well-being, and NFAW looks forward to making further contributions.
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Notwithstanding sporadic cases (and associated lockdowns), the pandemic appears to be largely being brought under control in Australia and a welcome vaccine rollout is underway. The impacts of COVID though are expected to have a long tail, including its significant gendered impact. In 2021, sharing the load, the benefits and the power should be on everyone’s agenda if Australia can begin to regain its proud record of being a country that gives all a “fair go”.
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Pamela Denoon Lecture 2021
As most members would be aware, NFAW’s foundations relate to a bequest from leading feminist Pamela Denoon. Named in her honour, the Pamela Denoon Lecture is Australia's oldest and most prestigious feminist lecture, held for the first time this year at the University of Canberra with the support of 50/50 by 2030 Foundation at the University of Canberra and the Pamela Denoon Lecture Committee.
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The 2021 guest speaker was the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) Director Libby Lyons on the theme “Are Australia's employers agents for change?”.
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As WGEA’s Director, Libby has overseen the agency’s data collection and work with Australian private sector employers for the last five and a half years. While the national gender pay gap is calculated by WGEA using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, WGEA’s own data holdings, gathered directly from employers as required under the Workplace Gender Equality Act, provide unique insights into characteristics of the gender pay gap based on a range of variables including industry, size and employment practices.
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Libby advised that at November 2020, women’s average weekly ordinary full-time earnings across all industries and occupations was $1,562.00 compared to men’s average weekly ordinary full-time earnings of $1,804.20. Hence, Australia’s national gender pay gap is currently 13.4%. This was a slight decrease of 0.58 percentage points in the gender pay gap since November 2019 (14.0%), indicating that progress towards gender pay equality is stalling.
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The gap between women’s and men’s earnings is a symptom of a broader cultural problem in workplaces. It reflects the historic and systemic undervaluing of women’s workplace contributions and the significant barriers that lead to the under-representation of women in senior executive and management roles.
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The gender pay gap is influenced by a number of factors, including:
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- conscious and unconscious discrimination and bias in hiring and pay decisions
- women and men working in different industries and different jobs, with female-dominated industries and jobs attracting lower wages
- lack of workplace flexibility to accommodate caring and other responsibilities, especially in senior roles
- high rates of part-time work for women
- women’s greater time out of the workforce for caring responsibilities impacting career progression and opportunities
- women’s disproportionate share of unpaid caring and domestic work.
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Image 2: Welcome to Country
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Back Row (L-R) Donald Denoon, Gordan Denoon, Christine Denoon
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Front Row (L-R) Professor Kim Rubenstein, Jane Madden, Virginia Haussegger AM, Libby Lyons and Trish Bergin
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March4Justice
Across Australia, sexual violence survivors and their allies called for gender equality, and justice for victims of sexual assault, through a series of protests under the banner March4Justice. Over 120,000 women and men took part.
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The focal point of the protests was a rally outside Parliament House in Canberra on 15 March, which many people travelled from interstate to attend.
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There, March4Justice organiser Janine Hendry, alongside many other speakers, including Brittany Higgins, presented Parliament with two petitions outlining both broad and specific requests for further action. Outside of Canberra, there were approximately 40 local events around Australia, starting in Perth on Sunday 14 March.
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March4Justice called on the public to sign a petition addressed to the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, that makes a series of concrete requests to “put an end to the issues of sexism, misogyny, patriarchy, corruption, dangerous workplace cultures and lack of equality in politics and the community at large”.
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These demands include full, independent investigations into instances of gendered violence in politics – with full public accountability for findings; the removal of perpetrators from positions of power; and the full implementation of the 55 recommendations put forward in Respect@Work, the Australian Human Rights Commission’s 2020 report of the National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment. Protesters also called for a significant increase in public funding for the prevention of gendered violence.
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A second petition which has gathered more than 82,000 signatories, specifically addressed the rape allegation against the Attorney General, Christian Porter, which he has strenuously denied. That petition calls for the Minister to be immediately suspended, requests the Prime Minister to “stop using language which trivialises rape” and asks that the Government recognise the pain that misogyny and sexual assault cause.
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NFAW members participated in and supported the marches.
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What triggered the March4 Justice?
Janine Hendry, a Melbourne-based design consultant, says organising a march to Canberra “was not on my bingo card”. However, after a series of frustrated tweets she was “inundated with responses … We wanted to act, and so did everyone I spoke to. I kept hearing people saying let’s march on Parliament, so that’s exactly what we are going to do.”
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March4Justice emphasises the movement is grassroots, and not affiliated with political parties. The satellite protests around Australia are volunteer-organised.
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Image 1: NFAW President Jane Madden and NFAW Secretary Petrina Schiavi at the Canberra March4Justice.
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Image 2: Brittany Higgins addresses the Canberra March4Justice on 15 March 2021.
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Commission on the Status of Women 2021
Each year, the United Nations headquarters in New York traditionally hosts delegates from around the world to participate in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). CSW is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.
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Due to the implications of COVID-19, CSW was held this year in a hybrid format relying largely on virtual platforms. Building on a successful 2020 event held in Canberra, a mixed ‘in person’ and virtual CSW Australian conference was hosted by the 50/50 by 2030 Foundation in Canberra, with support from the ANU Gender Institute and the Equality Rights Alliance. The insightful presentations and discussions were inspiring, generated from solid research and lived experience.
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NFAW’s Sally Moyle and Jen Bushell were actively involved in the organisation and hosting, and NFAW President Jane Madden was a panelist in the session regarding COVID impacts on women. NFAW highlighted that the pandemic has affected men and women differently, both in Australia and globally. The by-products of economic shock and its impact on insecure employment hit women particularly hard. Women are over-represented in industries most affected by the virus. Caring roles have increased and intensified. Women are the majority of the long term unemployed, sole parents and casual employees. Policy measures need to be taken to address these impacts and gender-responsive budgeting is more critical than ever.
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, June Oscar AO, sent a compelling video message to the conference, noting that our nation has a patriarchy problem with race and gender entwined. June drew on the milestone report, Wiyi Yani U Thagani (Women's Voices) which captures what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls consider to be their strengths, challenges and aspirations. The report issued in December 2020 under the auspices of the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) made five major findings and seven recommendations. The report found:
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- First Nations women and girls have diverse strengths that support all aspects of life
- Investing in First Nations women and girls is an investment in society
- It is structural forces, not individual behaviours alone, which overwhelmingly determine our life outcomes
- First Nations women and girls want systems and services to be preventative, place-based, culturally safe, healing-oriented and trauma-informed
- We need to support First Nations women and girls' leadership and participation in all decisions that impact their lives.
- A National Action Plan on advancing the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and girls
- Conducting a National Summit and establishing a National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women and Girls Advisory Body
- Empowering women's leadership on the ground
- Protecting, supporting and reviving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural practices and knowledge systems
- An urgent focus on healing from intergenerational trauma
- National action to eradicate racism
- Local and regional focused engagement.
Social Policy Committee Update
In the last week in March the Social Policy Committee (SPC) convened two policy workshops with a range of NFAW partners and stakeholders to develop and update policy in two key areas: Early Childhood Education and Care, and Aged Care. Stay tuned for further information and actions resulting from the workshops.
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Along with many other SPC engagements, NFAW made the following submissions through the work of the Social Policy Committee:
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- Aged Care Royal Commission: On 12 November 2020 we forwarded the attachment to the Gender Lens on modelling the Care Economy.
- Inquiry into the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Extension of Coronavirus Support) Bill 2020: Submission lodged 18 Nov 2020 highlighting the inadequacy of Newstart and need to increase ongoing support.
- Senate Select Committee into COVID-19: Report handed down on 18 December citing NFAW’s work.
- Treasury: Pre-budget submission lodged 28 January 2021. This submission drew attention to the modelling that we published with the 2020 Gender Lens.
- Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee: Fair Work Amendment (Supporting Australia's Jobs and Economic Recovery) Bill 2020. Submission lodged 5/2/2021 opposing the proposed changes to the IR legislation as they limit the rights of casual and part-time workers who are predominantly women. We made a series of 15 detailed recommendations.
- Senate Committee on Community Affairs: Inquiry into the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Income Support) Bill 2021: Submission lodged 4 March 2021 opposing the Bill – which minimally increased the base rate of Newstart while (re) imposing harsh Community Service Obligations – on the grounds that the increase is insufficient and the CSOs unnecessary and demeaning.
- Senate Select Committee on Insecure Work: Submission lodged 31 March including contributions across portfolios, coordinated and compiled by Dr Kathy MacDermott.
NFAW Members
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Thank you to our newest members who have joined NFAW since December 2021, we welcome:
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Congratulations to NFAW member Ashleigh Streeter-Jones (26-year-old Canberran) who was who was selected as one of 50 young leaders from across the globe to go to this year's World Economic Forum in Davos.
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Board Talk
The Board met via videoconference on 17 March 2021.
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We will hold the next Board meeting by videoconference, but hope to hold our AGM and Board meeting on 10 November 2021 in Canberra, to coincide with our Annual Dinner at the National Press Club on Monday 9 November 2020.
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The next meetings proposed at this stage are:
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- 7 July 2021
- Wednesday 10 November 2021 in Canberra – with AGM – Annual Dinner will be held on Tuesday 9 November.
Australian Women’s Archives Project (AWAP)
After 20 years of continuous operation, we are sad to announce that the AWAP office at the University of Melbourne closed in December following a University restructure; and the employment of AWAP staff Helen Morgan and Nikki Henningham ceased.
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Responsibility for AWAP and custodianship of the Australian Women’s Register data was transferred from the Division of Scholarly and Student Services (DSSS) to the Faculty of Arts, unfortunately without any funding transfer from the DSSS. This closure is not final, and we remain optimistic.
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Since its inception, AWAP has been substantially funded by external grants and the Faculty of Arts is committed to working with NFAW to find solutions. Dr Nikki Henningham has an honorary appointment in the Faculty and is working closely with senior academic staff and the Faculty’s Business Development Manager to identify new funding sources from individual donors, other partner organisations, and through Australian Research Council grant applications.
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NFAW is also independently applying for grant applications to sustain AWAP and planning fundraising activities. 2021 is the 21st anniversary of the first publication of the Register https://www.womenaustralia.info/ and we hope there will be a birthday celebration for the revived AWAP later in the year.
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Last year NFAW President Jane Madden identified an opportunity to seek an intern through the Australian National Internships Program. Madeleine Sinnis, a final year Bachelor’s degree student in Chinese and Business Studies at ANU, commenced her NFAW internship in February and will contribute two days’ work each week over the first semester.
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Madeleine is based in the new Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at ANU during her internship. Madeleine’s internship project will identify Chinese Australian women who should be included on the Register, and research funding sources for a future AWAP project to add them.
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Chinese Australian women are under-represented at present. The 7000 Register entries include only Lily Ah Toy, Marion Lau, Annette Shun Wah, Patti Chong, Lu Moo, Helen Hong Kui Bullock, Tina Yong, Alice Tay, Sandy Mak, Anne Bi, Esther Qin, Bernice Pfitzner, Helene Chung Martin and Helen Sham Ho, and no Chinese Australian women’s organisation is listed.
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And for those resident in the ACT region, we are pleased to report the long running Winter Tales program of Sunday afternoon talks at the National Library will resume in June 2021. Watch this space for details https://nfaw.org.
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National History Challenge
The National History Challenge theme for 2021 is "SIGNIFICANCE: History matters", and registrations are now open. This theme offers students the opportunity to explore various topics in history, including events, periods, decisions, individuals or groups in various fields, for example, fashion, medicine or social movements in different eras. The competition poster is included in this newsletter, so please feel free to distribute it through your networks.
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The National Foundation of Australian Women’s special category is again Australian Women’s History. The closing date for entries is 27 August 2021 and the state presentations will be held in November at Parliament House, Canberra .
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he 2020 winner of the NFAW Australian Women’s History Award was Millie Patterson from Geraldton Grammar School, Western Australia with an essay entitled “The experience of shell shock on Australian nurses in World War 2". This can be found on the NHC website historychallenge.org.au as can other State/Territory winners listed below.
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Winners from the five other states and territories who participated in our category were:
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Yesara Ratnaike & Xuanwei Chen
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Canberra Girls’ Grammar School, ACT
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James Ruse Agricultural High School, NSW
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Loreto College, Marryatville, South Australia
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St Patrick’s College, Tasmania
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Ruyton Girls’ School, Victoria
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Queensland and the Northern Territory did not declare winners in this category, as it was felt they were not of sufficient calibre.
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There have been two slight changes to our category: the category's title now explicitly refers to AUSTRALIAN Women's History as there has in the past been some very good entries but sadly on international women and thus ineligible; secondly, the stipulation that subject/s must be either Australian born or naturalised has been deleted as it effectively eliminated pre-colonial women.
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2020 was anything but a normal year and this affected participation. While registrations were high at the outset, as the pandemic extended and home schooling was introduced there was a drop off in follow through with completed entries. However, students from over 5000 schools completed entries with our entries totalling 490 students.
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Thank you to those NFAW members who volunteered to be judges or present awards in 2020 but sadly restrictions in most States made participation impossible.
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Danielle Hyndes and Shirley Randell (co convenors)
National History Challenge
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