Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Bill 2024

The majority voted in favour of a motion to agree with the main idea of the bill. In parliamentary jargon, they voted to read the bill a second time. This means the bill can now be discussed in more detail.

What does this bill do?

According to the bills digest (which is a document prepared by the parliamentary library):

• The Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Bill 2024 will amend the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 to require certain employers who have 500 or more employees to select and meet gender equality targets and report on their progress to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.
• The Bill will provide the Minister for Women with a new power to set targets and specify the rules in relation to the selection of the gender equality targets.
• The Bill implements Recommendation 3.1(a) of the Review of the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012. Both the previous and current governments have committed to implementing the recommendations from the Review.
• The Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Closing the Gender Pay Gap) Bill 2023 responded to recommendations 2, 3, 5 and 9 of the report and passed both Houses on 30 March 2023.
• The Bill has been referred to the Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 30 January 2025.
• At the time of writing, parliamentarians do not appear to have commented on the Bill. Stakeholder commentary has also been limited, though the Australian Industry Group has stated that gender equality targets ‘will be onerous and inconsistent’.