Media Release by The Hon Julie Collins MP

New investments to support gender equality projects

The Australian Government is investing over $900,000 in a range of projects and services aimed at bridging the gender pay gap and supporting girls and women in the workforce and the community.

The Minister for the Status of Women, Julie Collins, announced the funding, under the Gender Equality for Women program, at the Post-Budget Women’s Breakfast at Parliament House this morning.

“The Australian Government is committed to continuing to advance equality between women and men and we are backing this up through a range of new projects and services,” Ms Collins said.

“These include resources to help women with the cost of living and programs to help young women with personal development and to boost women’s leadership in male-dominated industries.

“The Government is determined to advance gender equality and women’s economic security and will respond strongly to gender inequality anywhere.

“This Government is proud to have continued the Labor Party’s long legacy of advancing the status of women with the passage in the House of Representatives this week of the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Amendment Bill 2012.

“This legislation is a significant step towards the removal of barriers to women’s full and equal participation in the workplace and I look forward to the legislation passing through the Senate as soon as possible,” Ms Collins said.

The latest funding measures through the Gender Equality for Women program are:

  • $225,000 for a second round of 70 Australian Institute of Company Directors board diversity scholarships, as announced by the Prime Minister last week.
  • $150,000 to the YWCA to extend its successful pilot program Every Girl to 10 communities across the country. The program helps girls between 9 and 14 from disadvantaged communities to improve their self-esteem and build their leadership abilities.
  • $51,625 to determine how to best support emerging women leaders in the community sector.
  • $100,000 towards the Sports Leadership Grants and Scholarships for Women Program, to enable more women to access accredited training and education in sports management.
  • $50,000 for a joint project with the Australian Human Rights Commission, in partnership with the Male Champions of Change, aimed at boosting women’s leadership in male-dominated industries.
  • $89,106 to better understand how to promote women’s participation in the labour force and help inform the development of the new National Workforce Development Strategy.
  • $52,500 to examine the reasons for the first year pay gap between male and female graduates from university and vocational education and training.
  • $60,000 to the 1 Million Women organisation for the development of resources to assist women in reducing their costs of living.
  • $125,000 on incorporating gender equality into policy training and online modules for the Australian Public Service.
  • $39,000 to enhance each portfolio’s capacity to meet the gender balance target of at least 40 per cent women on Australian Government boards by 2015.