Lake Macquarie City Council has become one of only two local government organisations in Australia included in a benchmark list of inclusive employers.
The Diversity Council of Australia (DCA) added Lake Macquarie to its official list of inclusive employers for 2025-2026, based on diversity and inclusion experiences in the workplace.
To be included in the list, an organisation must exceed national index benchmarks for taking action to create a diverse and inclusive workplace, supporting and including staff, overall leadership on the issue and workplace discrimination and harassment.
DCA Chief Executive Catherine Hunter said organisations included in the list demonstrated a “commitment to fostering inclusive workplaces where employees in all their diversity can thrive”.
“DCA’s Inclusive Employer Index shines a spotlight on employers who are creating meaningful change and inspiring others to follow their lead,” she said.
“The Inclusive Employer Index is more than just a diagnostic tool. It’s a chance to reflect on areas for growth, plan next steps and celebrate your organisation’s diversity and inclusion.
Ms Hunter added that research had showed that workplaces actively fostering inclusion had more engaged, innovative and motivated staff.
“It is inspiring to see all the phenomenal work being done across Australia to build fairer, more inclusive workplaces,” she said.
Council Manager People and Culture Sarah Chessor said Council employed a significantly higher proportion of people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds and/or caring responsibilities than the national average.
“Our staff hail from 23 different countries, representing 41 cultural groups or backgrounds,” she said.
A recent staff survey found that more than 85 per cent of staff supported Council’s moves to create a more inclusive workplace.
“Being added to DCA’s list is wonderful recognition of the steps we’ve taken to increase diversity right across the organisation,” Ms Chessor said.
“But that’s not why we do it, and we’re always striving to do better. Creating a diverse and inclusive workforce brings a broader range of skills, opinions, life experience and opportunities to the table, and it better represents the community we serve.”
City of Newcastle was the other LGA named in this year’s list. The full DCA Inclusive Employers list is available at dca.org.au.
