Overview
The Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce (the Taskforce) is an independent group of eminent women established to provide advice to the Australian Government to support the advancement of women’s economic equality and achieve gender equality, as committed to in the Women’s Budget Statement October 2022-23.
The priority contributions of the Taskforce centre on:
- Driving women’s economic equality as an economic imperative
- Informing the National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality
- Providing strategic advice on key issues arising from the Jobs and Skills Summit, including via the White Paper
- Providing strategic advice on the further implementation of gender responsive policy and budgeting processes.
The Taskforce will report directly to the Minister for Women.
These Terms of Reference may be updated from time to time, in consultation with the Minister for Women.
Membership
The Taskforce membership will comprise:
- Sam Mostyn AO (Chair)
- Chiou See Anderson
- Shelley Cable
- Shirleen Campbell
- Sam Connor
- Rae Cooper AO
- Terese Edwards
- Sizol Fuyana
- Jennifer Macklin
- Michele O’Neil
- Adrienne Picone
- Jennifer Westacott AO
- Danielle Wood
The Chair may invite relevant experts, stakeholders and/or government officials to participate in specific meetings or discussions, as appropriate.
Members will be appointed for an initial period of six months.
Activities and deliverables
In relation to its priority contributions, the focus of the Taskforce should include:
- Advice to Government on priority measures to drive improvements to women’s economic equality, especially in relation to issues raised through the Jobs and Skills Summit, and for women currently experiencing disadvantage and women from traditionally marginalised backgrounds
- The gender pay gap and related issues of women’s workforce participation, advancement, gender segregation and patterns of paid and unpaid care
- Providing advice on the skills and industries of the future, to create more gender equal economic outcomes
- Safe and respectful workplaces, including for women experiencing violence.
The Taskforce may also:
- undertake targeted consultation or research, especially with women ‘on the ground’, and seek briefings with key stakeholders and experts as required on the range of issues that impact women’s economic equality
- undertake other activities as required, including providing feedback on upcoming legislation.
The Taskforce will give a particular focus to women with intersecting needs, women experiencing disadvantage and women from traditionally marginalised and diverse backgrounds.
The Taskforce will nominate the form of its inputs (written, verbal, etc.), which will be agreed by the Minister for Women.
The Taskforce may develop a work program to guide and prioritise its activities and support engagement with the Minister and key processes. The work program will be adjusted as necessary via agreement of the Taskforce.
Operations
The Taskforce will meet as required, as determined by the Chair, in consultation with Taskforce members. Meetings may be convened face-to-face or virtually.
The Taskforce will report directly to the Minister for Women.
The Taskforce will elect whether and when it meets in private or with observers and technical experts in attendance.
The Taskforce will be supported by a Secretariat within the Office for Women, which will be responsible for:
- coordinating meeting arrangements at the direction of the Chair, including scheduling meetings and invitations, preparing and distributing meeting agendas and minutes
- facilitating Taskforce members to travel to and participate in meetings
- facilitating access to subject-matter expert advice from across the public service, as needed
- supporting the disseminating the Taskforce’s advice and findings as directed by the Chair in consultation with the Minister for Women.
Senior officials from the Office for Women, the Treasury and the Department of Finance, and Ministerial advisers will be invited to attend meetings as observers, noting the Taskforce may elect to meet without observers.
Remuneration
Members will be paid a daily rate of $1,500 (GST exclusive), or an hourly rate using the following formula: under 2 hours, 40 per cent of the daily fee paid, 2-3 hours 60 per cent fee paid, more than 3 hours = 100 per cent daily fee.
Members will be paid for official travel time and any time spent preparing for meetings out-of-session using the formula above. Travel will be arranged and paid for by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Remuneration is based on the Remuneration Tribunal (Remuneration and Allowances for Holders of Part-time Public Office) Determination 2021.
Duration
The Taskforce has been appointed for an initial period of six months.