Women and Work
Barriers of Women at Work
The final consolidated national report on the project initially established to inquire into the impact of the recent recession on Australian women was launched at Australia’s Parliament House on 9 February 2010.Equal Opportunity Women in the Workplace
The project began with the commissioning by the NFAW, with the financial support of Security4Women, of an analysis of statistical data from The Australia Institute (click here for the TAI report). This report was launched in August 2009 by the President of the ACTU, Ms Sharen Burrow. An executive summary of the report can be viewed here.
An important finding was that many women who express a clear wish to enter or return to the workforce find many barriers to doing so.
Prominent among those barriers was access to care services for women caring for children or older relatives, and access to training and re-training.
In consequence, the four national women’s alliances agreed to support NFAW in a round of community consultations, including in regional Australia, to follow up the statistical data, and hear the actual experiences of women.
Variously State Government Offices for Women, State Women’s Advisory Councils, individual women’s organisations, universities and unions provided extremely valuable local support in this process.
The reports on these consultations have now been edited, and can be found on this site. Click here
During this process, WomenSpeak provided valuable logistical support, and as well developed a short film of interviews with women in various cities on their experiences with child care, in particular out of school hours care.
An Interim Report was provided to the Alliances, to the individual workshop organisers and State Offices for Women, and to Commonwealth Ministers in early December 2009.
The final report will be presented to Parliamentarians, and at a media launch- together with a DVD of the WomenSpeak report on women’s experiences with child care, on 9 February 2010- in time, we hope, to illuminate thinking about the 2010 Budget and the election policy thinking of political parties.
Please click here for NFAW's EOWW Sumbssion in response the below review of the act.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY ACT REVIEW PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS
Minister for the Status of Women, Tanya Plibersek, today called upon businesses, unions, employers, employees, women’s groups and other interested parties to put their views forward in the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999 (EOWW Act) and Agency (EOWA) review. Clcik here for Press Release
Paid Parental Leave
The NFAW play a significant part in the campaign for a reference to the Productivity Commission, and gave evidence to the Commission's inquiry. Subsequently, The Office for Women contracted NFAW, through Security for Women, to conduct consultations nationally on the Draft Report of the Commission. The NFAW, in association with the New South Wales Commission for Children and Young People issued a media statement welcoming the Budget 2009-10 announcement that a national Paid Parental Leave Scheme would be introduced. Click here for related submissions, reports, etc.
Premier's Council for Women
Working Women in South Australia: Progress, Prospects and Challenges - A report to the Premier's Council for Women - Centre for Work & Life, University of South Australia, February 2009, Author: Barbara Pocock. This report examines women's work experience in South Australia. Click here to read the report.
Pay Equity
NFAW has made a submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment and Workplace Relations Inquiry into Pay Equity click here for submission.
WorkChoices & Welfare to Work
In 2006 the first face-to-face meeting of the four women's secretariats financed by the Commonwealth Office for Women identified changes to industrial relations legislation, and changes to income support payments for people of working age were likely to be of major importance for women.
Women & Work Research Group - University of Sydney
The Women and Work Research Group (WWRG) provides high quality research, research training and consultancy on all aspects of women's experience of work, employment, family and community in Australia and the Asia-Pacific Region. Please visit: http://wwrg.econ.usyd.edu.au for more information about this group.