The latest figures relating to gender balance on federal Government Boards and committees show for the first time that more than half the positions are held by women.
Announced by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C), women now hold 50.2 per cent of Australian Government Board positions, the highest overall result since targets were announced in 2016.
PM&C said this represented an 8.5 percentage point increase from 30 June 2013, when women held only 41.7 per cent of Board positions.
Minister for Women, Senator Marise Payne said the December 2021 figures revealed that women made up 53.9 per cent of new appointments between 1 July and 31 December.
Senator Payne said the achievement represented a longstanding commitment from the Government to create gender equality on Boards.
“We have moved into 2022 with this strong achievement and I am proud to see women fill more Government Board positions than ever before,” she said.
“In 2016, the Government set a target of women holding 50 per cent of Australian Government Board positions and we have now surpassed that.”
The Minister said the Government had a responsibility to address gender imbalances in Australia to create real change and genuine advances for women and girls.
“The Government is also focused on boosting the number of women occupying Chair and Deputy Chair positions on Government Boards,” she said.
“As at 31 December 2021, women held a record 40 per cent of Chair and Deputy Chair positions,” she said.
“The Government is committed to supporting more women into leadership positions in the public and private sectors, including leading by example through its gender balance targets for Australian Government Board positions,” Senator Payne said.
