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Dear NFAW members and supporters
While NFAW President Jane Madden is taking a break in Europe, I’ve been acting as President.
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There has been a lot happening on gender equality over the last few months.
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The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that the gender pay gap is the lowest on record, at 11.5 per cent. There is much further to go, of course, particularly since this measure relates only to full time, ordinary time earnings – overall total earnings and including part timers, women still earn significantly less than men in Australia. Nevertheless, it is heartening to see these results, recognising this was result of determined effort on several fronts. The ABS attributes it largely to public sector wage increases but reforms to the Fair Work Act to the publication of gender pay gap under the Workplace Gender Equality Act would have also contributed.
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After over a decade of advocacy to settle this unfinished business, it was also satisfying to see the legislation introduced in Parliament that will require the payment of the superannuation guarantee on paid parental leave payments. If the Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Adding Superannuation for a More Secure Retirement) Bill 2024 passes, payments will begin next year.
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The Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner released her inaugural annual report to Parliament last month. The report, quoting the Australian Institute of Criminology, notes that, while we have seen a decline in homicides over the past three decades, there was a 28 per cent increase in the rate of women killed by intimate partners in 2022–23, and a further 25 per cent increase in 2-23- 24. So it was good to see the $4.7 bn commitment of National Cabinet last week to extend funding for frontline and legal services to address men’s violence. I see this as a down payment, as there is still so much more to be done.
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NFAW is looking for urgency, attention, significantly increased funding for frontline services and perpetrator programs, and reform across jurisdictions to criminal justice systems to address the effective impunity of perpetrators.
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As we head into an election period, we would like to see this as a frontline issue for both parties. We’d also like to see further investments in childcare funding and commitment to legislate the current work on gender responsive budgeting.
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The urgency of these tasks was highlighted for me in a Young Women’s Policy Submission, which I helped to launch on 21 August in Parliament House. It is the culmination of a two year research project “…aiming to improve young Australian women's life outcomes”. It found young women face “…heightened risks of gender discrimination, sexual assault, political marginalisation, economic insecurity, and life-ending violence, yet lack the social, political, or financial capital to counter these challenges”. It is particularly important that this was a self-initiated process, not supported by government. It demonstrates the clarity of voice of Australia’s young women and their intellectual rigour and is a clarion call for all of us to do better to support young women and gender equality.
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I’d like to farewell and thank several of our directors who have left us: Sonia Kohlbacher, Kawshi Manisegaran, Lara Friedin, and Vivienne Yu. I’m very grateful for the time and commitment of these directors, particularly Vivienne, who served as our treasurer so ably. Veronica Williams has stepped in to take over the Treasurer’s role from Vivienne and Caroline Edwards will make a great contribution. Caroline is introduced below. We have another couple of fabulous potential directors who will seek appointment and we will introduce you to them soon. I am looking forward to seeing you at the AGM and dinner in November. We are finalising the speaker for our dinner, but I know you will all be suitably impressed, and by then Jane will take back the NFAW reins!
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Vice President | National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW)
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SAVE THE DATE
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The NFAW annual dinner is on the horizon, and we have an exciting night of events being planned. Please put a hold the date in your diary for Monday 11 November, at the Canberra Press Club start time 6pm.
We welcome you to put a table together, bring along a friend, and engage them into the women’s community which NFAW has been nurturing now for over 20 years.
Enter Access Code NFAW for member pricing
Special Member Rate: $99
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Welcome to Caroline Edwards
Our New Board Member
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Please join us in welcoming Caroline Edwards to our NFAW board this month. Caroline has a long experience in public policy and implementation with a focus on social policy. She began her career as a lawyer and worked as a mediator and negotiator including case managing the Northern Territory native title caseload from 2000-2006 as Registrar of the Federal Court in Darwin. She later shifted into remote service delivery with responsibilities for remote housing, and safety, nutrition and early education programs for women and children in remote Australia. In this regard she was Australian Government lead on the Alice Springs Transformation Program in 2008-2009 and a member of the Cape York Families Responsibilities board. She has negotiated and overseen major national partnership agreements as a genuine collaborator with the states and territories.
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Caroline also has experience in welfare delivery and gambling reform as well as taxation policy via stints in various Commonwealth Departments.
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Her last 5 years in full time public service were in health programs, first as manager of the Medicare program in the Department of Human Services and then as senior executive in the Health Department including heading the Department during the early months of the Covid 19 pandemic and as lead for the vaccine program.
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Caroline has joined the NFAW board in 2024 to further her commitment to ensuring that social and economic policy in Australia puts the interests of women and children at its heart.
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MAKING SENSE OF THE CENSUS DEBATE!
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“POLITICAL LEADERS OVERRIDE EXPERT STAKEHOLDERS ON THE FRAMING OF QUESTIONS FOR THE CENSUS”.
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The Government's refusal to include questions on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression in the 2026 Census is a troubling and distressing decision that undermines the inclusion of Australia’s LGBTQIA+ community. While the Government claims to be avoiding divisive debates on sensitive topics, its actions have only deepened the sense of exclusion felt by LGBTQIA+ individuals across the nation.
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The National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW) has been closely monitoring these
developments with growing concern. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) dedicated
considerable time and effort to consulting LGBTQIA+ communities and expert stakeholders on the proposed Census questions, only for their work to be dismissed by political leaders.
This week’s reluctant concession to include a single question on sexuality is inadequate. This action fails to recognize the diverse experiences of trans, intersex, and gender-fluid communities. While it may seem like a small step forward, it directly contradicts the Government’s own guidelines, published just in July, which emphasize the importance of considering “sex, gender, variations of sex characteristics, and sexual orientation at all stages of the research project”.
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NFAW has called on the Government to reverse its decision and to allow, for the first time, the
Australian Census to properly and fully count the LGBTQIA+ community.
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We see this as blatant political interference in scientific research that further marginalizes a
community already too often used as a political football, undermining the potential for accurate health and social policy development.
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Social Policy Committee
in Action This Year
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Earlier this year the NFAW Social Policy Committee delivered a paper to government to support the – “Enquiry into the Australian Human Rights Commission Amendment (Costs Protection)” to support the recommendation to pass this bill. Read further.
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This submission is being made by the National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW). NFAW is dedicated to promoting and protecting the interests of Australian women, including intellectual, cultural, political, social, economic, legal, industrial, and domestic spheres, and ensuring that the aims and ideals of the women’s movement and its collective wisdom are handed on to new generations of women. NFAW is a feminist organisation, independent of party politics and working in partnership with other women’s organisations. We welcome the Committee’s invitation to comment on the Australian Human Rights Commission Amendment (Costs Protection) Bill 2023 [Provisions].
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NFAW previously made a submission to the Inquiry into the Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Legislation Amendment (Respect at Work) Bill 2022 which adopted previous recommendations made by Now and other women’s organisations to better implement the recommendations of the Respect@Work report. We noted the issue of costs in bringing an action for discrimination is complex, the anticipation of costs can act as a deterrent to initiating proceedings, and lawyers are often reluctant to represent clients who are unable to pay their own legal costs. We welcome the introduction of this new legislation that addresses both of the issues noted in NFAW’s previous submission and aims to remove the financial barriers that prevent victim-survivors of discrimination and sexual harassment from initiating proceedings.
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NFAW supports the numerous submissions to the Attorney-General’s Department’s review into an appropriate cost model for Commonwealth anti-discrimination laws which demonstrated a consistent view across the sector that modified ‘equal access’ costs protection model will best achieve the policy objective of recommendation 25 of the Respect@Workreport. The modified ‘equal access’ costs protection provision will help overcome the deterrent effect that an adverse costs order poses to applicants, and addresses concerns about applicants not being able to cover their own costs (and having to entirely rely on pro bono assistance). We share concerns that a mirroring of the Fair Work Act 2009(Cth) provisions could reduce the number of lawyers that are willing to represent clients in these matters. This model reflects the public interest in holding people to account for discrimination and sexual harassment.
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This approach also addresses the power imbalances and resource disparities present in most
unlawful discrimination proceedings. We note the Bill goes beyond the scope of sex discrimination claims and applies to all discrimination matters under federal law. It is important to note that all forms of discrimination involve fundamental power imbalances, and all applicants are likely to experience similar financial barriers to initiating proceedings. The intersectional nature of sex discrimination and sexual harassment means that victim-survivors will have often experienced multiple forms of discrimination. There is value in having a consistent approach to costs across all discrimination matters, including reduced complexity.
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We also endorse the submission to this Inquiry of the Power to Prevent Coalition, a group of diverse community organisations, unions, academics, peak bodies, health professionals, lawyers, and victim-survivors. The Power to Prevent Coalition strongly advocated for this reform with 85 organisations endorsing a call for equal access costs protectionism discrimination and sexual harassment matters. NFAW works in partnership with many of these organisations.
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BEQUEST AND SUPPPORTING THE WORK OF NFAW
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Leaving a gift in your will to the National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW) is a powerful way to make a lasting impact on the future of women in Australia. As a non-profit organisation dedicated to advocating for women's rights, equality, and opportunity, the NFAW relies on the generosity of individuals like you to continue its vital work. By including the NFAW in your will, you are helping to support initiatives that promote gender equality, economic security, and access to education and healthcare for women and girls across the country. Your legacy gift can help drive meaningful change, ensuring that future generations of Australian women have the support and resources they need to thrive.
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A gift in your will to the NFAW is not just a donation; it is an investment in a fairer and more
equitable society. Whether it's funding research to address issues like the gender pay gap,
supporting programs that empower women and girls, or advocating for policies that protect
women's rights, your contribution will have a lasting impact. By planning a bequest, you become a part of a community of supporters who share a commitment to advancing gender equality and empowering women. Every gift, large or small, makes a difference. Consider leaving a gift in your will to the National Foundation for Australian Women and help shape a better future for all Australian women.
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