Despite the global uncertainty about diversity programs, 2025 could see progress on gender equity in Australia.
Words by Bianca Hartge-Hazelman
The past 12 months have been turbulent for gender equity in this country.
At the beginning of 2024, legislative reform on gender pay and equity was introduced, then a series of corporate scandals hit the media, and earlier this year newly elected US President Donald Trump targeted DEI (diversity equity and inclusion) programs.
It’s been like watching a House of Cards episode on Netflix and being convinced of one ending, before the kicker delivers the blow and next season holds all the answers.
For women in media, many of us have been living it long before writing about it. Headlines have been dominated by stories of pay gaps, as well as workplace misconduct and discrimination, with notable incidents reported at Seven, Nine and the ABC.
Despite these challenges, 2024 was a year of progressive legislation. Changes took effect relating to the Respect at Work legislation with the aim of fostering psychologically safer and more equitable workplaces.
This legislation has been particularly significant for women in media, where workplace safety and equality have been pressing issues.
The 2024 Women in Media Industry Insight Report revealed deep concerns among members about their career paths and workplace environments, and pay discrimination remains a pervasive problem, affecting financial stability, career progression, and job satisfaction.
Author of Respect at Work and former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins AO said that “…whilst these issues are difficult to read about, most of these things women have known about for years and we should take heart that secrecy isn’t an option any longer”.
“In fact, I think we are at a turning point on gender equality here because in the last five years we have done a lot of serious examinations and have introduced some reforms that are now embedded in law and they have made a difference".
“I am personally seeing large organisations that I work with understand the benefit of those reforms, from them having really good workplaces with the best people,” she said.
Last year, reforms to the Workplace Gender Equality Act also saw the first annual publication of employer gender pay gaps and a new narrative emerged.
"The debate shifted from equal pay for equal work to broader discussions about pay differentials and composition differentials that contribute to gender pay gaps across the economy,” said Mary Wooldridge, CEO of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.
In the 2025 report there was a slight increase in the proportion of employers reducing their gender pay gap, with 56% of reporting employers showing improvement compared to 54% the previous year. In every industry, a majority of employers improved their gender pay gap between 2022–23 and 2023–24.
A number of organisations have shown real change is possible. According to Lisa Sweeney CEO of Business in Heels, companies like the insurance, roads and motoring group, NRMA, have been recognised as an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality and has achieved a remarkable 50/50 gender balance in leadership.
ASX listed energy company Viva Energy has achieved pay parity and has implemented groundbreaking policies to support gender diversity in leadership. And legal services company Dentons Australia Limited has also reduced its gender pay gap from 15% to 4.1% and has increased the percentage of female partners from 12% to 36%.
Whilst many working in media continue to use their voices to advocate for change and push for policies that promote equality and fairness, in 2025 it’s difficult to get away from the impact of the US backlash on DEI and its impact on corporate attitudes - particularly in the lead up to a federal election.
Until 2025, the term DEI wasn’t widely recognised in Australia. Now it’s become associated with ‘woke’ agendas and is often used as shorthand for workplace concepts that are costly and don't necessarily benefit organisations.
Whilst not commenting on the upcoming election, Kate Jenkins said she was quite positive about the outlook for gender equality in Australia and did not think the US position would take hold here because our laws were different.
“Australia is very different to the US, and our laws have some specific requirements which are based on an overall policy of wanting to ensure no discrimination or harassment. And so, whilst I believe the position of the US is obviously relevant to observe, I don’t think that means Australia will change direction in the progress we are making.”
“A general conversation about DEI is not the same as changing the laws to allow for more discrimination.”
This year will also see the next set of big legislative reforms on gender equality in Australia put forward.
Proposed legislation of the Albanese Government would put the onus squarely on companies with over 500 employees to set targets related to workforce composition, board representation, equal remuneration policies, parental leave, flexible work, sexual harassment, and employee consultation.
If passed, this legislation would be enacted for reporting in 2026 and would build on the current government’s push to make organisations take greater action in support of gender equality.
Critics, however, believe targets would only hold Australian businesses back through cost and paperwork.
“If it passes, it would require larger companies to set targets and make progress in relation to gender equality,” said Wooldridge. “The reality is that this is not guaranteed, and there's a lot riding on whether these reforms will be enacted.”
Advocates of gender equity understand that with any social change, resistance is historically par for the course before a new normal emerges. Many in the Australian business community are cautiously observing the way DEI backlash is unfolding before making any changes to their programs.
"In business, we have to extract ourselves from short-termism and really start looking at the long game,” notes Michelle Redfern, DEI consultant. "This too shall pass. We have invested a lot (in diversity measures). This is a sunk cost and we're not going to throw babies out with the bathwater."
Bianca Hartge-Hazelman is the founder of the Financy Women’s Index and Impacter app which helps businesses with diversity, equity and inclusion.