Women in Leadership: Equality and the Business Case
Speech delivered to the 25th Australasian Finance and Banking Conference
Speech delivered to the 25th Australasian Finance and Banking Conference
Let me begin by acknowledging the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. I pay my respects to their elders past and present, and all the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women who work tirelessly to reduce domestic violence.
Chancellor Dr Ian Gould AM, Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Peter Hoj, Members of University Council, Doctors, Emeritus Professors, Fellows and Senior Management and staff of this fine University, Graduands, Ladies and Gentlemen.
But first let me acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. I pay my deepest respects to their elders both past and present.
The following opinion pieces have been published by the President and Commissioners. Reproduction of the opinion pieces must include reference to where the opinion piece was originally published.
I join with those who have spoken before me in acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Dharug people, and pay my respects to their elders, both past and present.
With respect and gratitude I acknowledge that we sit on the lands of the Ngunnawal peoples and I thank the Traditional Owners for allowing us to do so.
When I started in my new role as Sex DiscriminationCommissioner at the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission last year, I thought I had a pretty good idea of the issues I would face. But I will be frank in saying that I am genuinely shocked by just how pervasive sexual harassment seems to be. I had thought, ''Who doesn't know these days that this behaviour is wrong and unlawful?'' Well, clearly many don't.
Plainly, there is no easy solution. There are millions of hearts to be warmed, and what works for some may have little influence on others. There must be many programs, operating on many levels and operating incrementally so as to touch the greatest possible number of people.
This paper considers national and international legislative and other provisions regarding equality for women in the labour market. Australia ranks second to Sweden in terms of pay equity. It is argued that over the last two decades of global shifts to labour market decentralism and deregulation, Australian women have fared relatively well. Three fundamental reasons stand out:
The creation of Ausyouth is an initiative that clearly picks up on the real-life needs of today's youth, an initiative that has the potential to foster the building blocks of a progressive caring society, and from a human rights perspective, it's an initiative that addresses some of Australia's obligations with respect to international instruments, to which we as a nation are committed.
I'll start with what's stayed the same. The fundamental restructuring of Australia's workplace relations system has left the functions of HREOC untouched. In particular there is no change in its responsibilities to investigate and conciliate complaints of unlawful discrimination.
I follow this custom wherever I go to speak in public. I think recognising Australia ' s indigenous peoples and their prior ownership of this land in this way is more than just good manners. It is an important part of recognising our diversity as a nation.
The promotion of human rights and education go hand in hand. At the international level human rights education is an essential function of the work of the UN and its many agencies. And it is fundamental to the work of a National Human Rights Commission.
I would like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of this land, the Pambalong clan of the Awabakal people, and pay my respect to their elders, past and present. Today I would like to explore the question: ‘What does it mean to believe in human rights in Australia today?’ This is an ambitious project, and I am aware that the question does not have a short and simple answer.
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