This year marks 50 years since Labor established the Office for Women to advance the rights of women and girls in Australia and drive transformational social reforms.
Since its establishment as the Women’s Affairs Section within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in 1974, the Office for Women has been pivotal to advancing gender equality in Australia.
The creation of the Office for Women followed the appointment in 1973 of Dr Elizabeth Reid as Women’s Advisor to Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and his Cabinet, the first time a government anywhere in the world had conceived such a role to advise on women’s policy.
Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher acknowledged the dedication of those who have worked hard over the last five decades to improve the lives of women in Australia.
“For half a century, the Office for Women has made important contributions and progress to the standing of women and girls in this country.
“For example, the Office for Women played a central role in embedding Commonwealth funding of long-day care in 1976, which contributed to a significant increase in women’s workforce participation.”
In 1983, the Office established the Aboriginal Women’s Task Force, regarded as the first Australia-wide consultation with Aboriginal women conducted by a government.
In 1984, the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 was legislated, prohibiting the discrimination of women in Australian workplaces, accommodation and services.
The Office for Women has also played a vital role in navigating contemporary challenges, driving policies such as the introduction of Paid Parental Leave in 2010, transforming workplaces to close the gender pay gap through the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012, and pushing to increase women’s representation on Government boards to 50%.
To mark the 50th anniversary, the Government has released baseline data report for the Working for Women strategy to provide a comprehensive picture of the current state of gender equality in Australia. This is an Australian-first comprehensive publicly accessible and searchable data set on gender equality, aligned to the priorities of Working for Women.
The Working for Women baseline report brings together 119 data points, allowing us to accurately measure progress towards gender equality over the next 10 years.
The Office has been foundational to key reforms since the election of the Albanese Labor Government in 2022, including the expansion of PPL to 26 weeks by 2026, the reintroduction of gender-responsive budgeting, and record investment into women’s safety – including 10 days of paid domestic and family violence leave.
“Each decade of work carried out by the Office has brought gender equality closer to reality. The 50th anniversary will celebrate Australia’s progress to create a more equal society,” Minister Gallagher said.
“The Office is also core to lifting the capability of the entire Australian Public Service to deliver for women and girls and designing and delivering policy that helps advance equality in Australia,” Minister Gallagher said.
Assistant Minister for Women, the Hon Kate Thwaites MP, highlighted the importance of the Office in supporting whole-of-government work towards gender equality.
“Over 50 years the Office for Women has played an important role in supporting the work of government to advance gender equality in Australia.”
“From the introduction of long-day care through to Paid Parental Leave reforms and work towards closing the gender pay gap, the Office is critical to supporting policy that is good for Australian women.”
The Office will celebrate its 50th anniversary at an event at the Museum of Australian Democracy – a significant location as the office of Australia’s first dedicated women’s policy advisor.