Gender Equality Act 2020

The Gender Equality Act 2020 commenced on 31 March 2021 and aims to improve workplace gender equality.

The Act promotes gender equality by:
1. Requiring the Victorian public sector, local councils and universities to take positive action towards achieving workplace gender equality.
2. Requiring these organisations to consider and promote gender equality in their policies, programs and services.
3. Establishing the Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner to provide education, support implementation and enforce compliance.

From 31 March 2021, Council will be required to complete Gender Impact Assessments when developing policies, programs and services, to ensure they benefit all Victorians.

Gender Impact Assessments must:
1. Assess the effects that the policy, program or service may have on people of different genders.
2. Explain how the policy, program or service will be changed to better support Victorians of all genders and promote gender equality.
3. Where practical, apply an intersectional approach to consider how gender inequality can be compounded by disadvantage or discrimination that a person may experience on the basis of other factors such as age, disability, or ethnicity.

1. Understand why we need gender equality.
2. Identify where we need to change.
3. Plan and implement actions that will achieve progress.

1. The results of a workplace gender audit, to assess the current state of gender equality in the workplace.
2. Strategies and measures to improve gender equality in the workplace, based on the results of the audit.