Women's Representation in Australian Government Boards Hits New High

• Women hold 54% of Federal Government board positions, with a 2.8% increase.
• Labor aims for 50% female representation in chair, deputy chair, and board roles.
• Reporting will expand to include ex-officio and external appointments.

The latest Gender Balance on Australian Government Boards Annual Report 2023-2024 reveals that women now hold a record 54% of positions on Federal Government boards, the highest ever. The report, prepared annually by the Office for Women, tracks the government’s progress toward meeting its gender diversity target.

Gender balance reporting began in 2009 when women held 33.4% of board memberships. This is the second year of reporting at the individual board level, and the number of women on the board has decreased.

The report shows progress toward government targets and notes areas for improvement. As of June 30, 2024, women held 1,190 of the 2,187 positions across 347 Australian Government boards, marking a 2.8% increase since June 2023 and the highest female representation to date.

The report’s executive summary states that while progress has been made, more work is needed to meet the target of women holding at least 40% of Australian Government board positions. Representation on individual boards slightly decreased, with 21.6% having less than 40% female representation. However, women’s presence in new appointments and external nominations improved by 4 percentage points to 56.9% and 9.3 percentage points to 54.5%, respectively, in 2023-24.

The report on the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s website provides a breakdown by department. These figures were released shortly after Labor’s Federal Cabinet achieved gender parity, with Anika Wells' elevation to Cabinet as Minister for Sport and Aged Care.

Minister for Women Katy Gallagher called the recent developments a “record-breaking week for women’s leadership,” highlighting the government’s commitment to ensuring equal participation of women at the highest levels.

Senator Gallagher emphasized, “Who sits around the table matters. When decision-making bodies reflect the community, they deliver better outcomes.” She noted that recent progress sets an example for public and private sectors, showing what’s possible when there’s a commitment to achieving gender parity.

The report reveals women hold 45.3% of chair and deputy chair positions as of June 30, 2024, a 3% increase from the previous year. Labor's new target, set in March 2024 with its Working for Women strategy, aims for women to hold 50% of these positions and board roles at the portfolio level. Next year’s report will include changes in data collection.

 The report states that the scope of board positions will expand to include all roles on relevant boards, including ex-officio and external appointments, rather than government-appointed positions.