The Australian Government Department of Transport and Regional Services plays a key role in assisting regions to manage their own futures through our programs and policy development. The Department supports the Australian Government’s aim of achieving good governance and community wellbeing by providing funding and support to Local Governments, and by supporting Local Governments in serving their communities efficiently, effectively and responsively. As part of this support, the Department sponsors the Australian Local Government Association Award for Increasing Women’s Participation – an award that recognises Local Governments that demonstrate a commitment to providing opportunities for rural and regional women in decision making and management.
The Australian Government’s commitment to diversity in decision making was further highlighted through the 2006 inquiry into women’s representation on rural and regional bodies of influence. At the Table: Getting the best people and making the right decisions for regional and rural Australia is the report of the inquiry, and presents a range of recommendations and actions for governments, representative bodies and businesses operating in regional and rural Australia.
Women are already key decision makers – in their business lives and through community work. The inquiry highlighted the advantages of tapping into the talent of women to improve decision making in and for regional Australia. Diversity brings a range of views, experiences, backgrounds and skills to the decision making table. Diversity in the composition of boards and workforces is simply good business sense. International research indicates that improved gender diversity at the board table correlates with good corporate governance and contributes to better business returns.
The 2007–08 Budget delivered $4.5 million over four years to underpin the Australian Government response to At the Table and to work towards achieving four key objectives, namely:
- improving information on the benefits of increased participation by regional women
- influencing demand from regional boards
- improving pathways for women’s participation on regional boards
- improving networking and mentoring opportunities for regional women.
The types of activities being planned by the Department include sponsoring brokerage services to match up board ready women with regional board vacancies, facilitating workshops where women can meet with influential people in their region, and developing a range of tools that can be used by board ready women and by boards to achieve better diversity on boards.
The Department of Transport and Regional Services will be working closing with other agencies, boards and businesses in the delivery of tools and projects to improve the representation of women in regional decision making.
Copies of the At the Table report can be obtained by telephoning the Department of Transport and Regional Services on (02) 6274 7709.
