The new BoardLinks website and Gender Balance on Australian Government Boards Report were recently launched by Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash at a networking event in Sydney. The event was hosted in partnership with the Australian Institute of Company Directors at Kirribilli House.
The improved website and database will make it easier for Ministers and Departmental Secretaries to find the right candidate for Government board positions.
From 1 July 2016, men and women must hold at least 40 per cent of all positions on individual boards, but women must hold 50 per cent of Government board positions overall. There will also be a renewed focus on selecting women who are themselves diverse, including women from culturally and linguistically diverse and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds. The new BoardLinks database is a key tool in assisting the Government reach this ambitious target.
The report, which is released annually, reveals that at 30 June this year 40.5 per cent of Australian Government board positions were held by women, surpassing for the target of 40 per cent.
There were also strong improvements in the proportion of female new appointees, up more than eight percentage points from last year, now at 46.5 per cent, and the number of women holding Chair and Deputy Chair positions also rose, now 32 per cent.
Speaking at the event, Minister Cash said that Government must lead by example.
‘This fantastic outcome is proof that when we get the policy settings right, when we put our minds to it, change can happen’.
The evening event brought together a mix of senior industry leaders who endorse diversity and promote its benefits. Attendees included Cabinet Secretary the Hon. Arthur Sinodinous AO, BoardLinks Champions and AICD Scholarship mentees and mentors.
Elizabeth Proust, Chairman of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and BoardLinks Champion Diane Smith-Gander also spoke at the event and promoted the programme and the importance of diversity in leadership.
Information on upcoming BoardLinks networking events as well as information on networking events from partner organisations will be provided in upcoming newsletters and on the BoardLinks website.