Page 711 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 19 March 2019
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gender equality. It urges us to better the balance, to better the world. We know there is a lot of work to be done before we achieve balance, but it is important to acknowledge the great work already taking place across our community.
I take this opportunity to thank the individuals and organisations, including many in our own government, who are working tirelessly to make a real difference to the lives of women and girls. The ACT government has committed to driving real change for women and girls through the ACT women’s plan 2016-26, which I launched and tabled here in August 2016. The first action plan commits to improving gender equality through 100 actions over the first two years of activity. We will spend the next few months looking at how we have progressed, with a report scheduled to be released soon afterwards.
I can report that through this plan and across government more broadly we have had a number of great wins this year. In December last year I presented ACT violence prevention awards to two ACT schools, Lyneham High School and Amaroo School, in acknowledgement of the great work they are doing to educate their students about gender equality and domestic and family violence and to change their attitudes and behaviours towards women.
The ACT public service is leading by example and working to support organisations to foster gender equity in Canberra workplaces through the development of an e-learning module to support improved understanding and practices in relation to gender equality in the workplace. This module will be completed later this year and will be made available to ACT public service staff and the business and community sectors. It will also be supported by a range of practical resources.
The recently negotiated ACT public sector enterprise agreement now enhances the range of flexible working options to increase women’s capacity to balance their work and family responsibilities. We are supporting those who are the subject of family violence with access to additional leave. The ACT diversity register launched in June last year will continue to drive more diverse appointments to leadership positions across the ACT government, private and community boards and committees. The register also links women with a range of leadership programs offered by the ACT office for women and other local organisations.
Through the Audrey Fagan program, women have gained knowledge and expertise to build their leadership careers through the board directorship program delivered by the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Through the new traineeship program, women are offered training, mentoring and the practical experience of attending board meetings. In 2018 we again provided grants to assist aspiring young women to reach their full potential through the young women’s Audrey Fagan enrichment grants. This program supported young ambitious musicians and pilots, supported training opportunities in animal studies and the dramatic arts, and supported a young Aboriginal woman to develop a student-led weaving and leadership skills group.
This year, 21 paired mentors and mentees participated in a new women’s mentoring program in the ACT public service. Scholarships were provided to the YWCA She
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