The Australian Government is developing the National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality. Gender equality impacts everyone. The project team want to hear diverse voices and understand the priorities of people across Australia. The Office for Women invites you to participate in the next phase of public consultation. Consultation will be open until 19 April 2023.
About the consultation
Over the years, Australia has made great progress towards gender equality including through implementation of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, establishing the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), introducing paid parental leave, and introducing a National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children. We have also seen support for gender equality increasing over time, with research showing most Australians now support gender equality. However, there is also evidence that in a number of areas progress is slowing or stalled. It is clear that gender inequality is not only holding women back, but is a brake on our progress as a country.
The National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality (the Strategy) will guide whole of community action to help make Australia one of the best countries in the world for equality between women and men. It is an important mechanism to elevate and prioritise actions that will achieve gender equality.
We know that government plays an important role – the Strategy will help us identify where Australian government effort should be focused. But we also know that government acting alone cannot achieve gender equality – we need to work together across government, business and communities, and in schools, universities, TAFEs and work places.
The Government wants to understand the Australian community’s vision for gender equality and support a conversation about the priorities and actions to get us there, and how we could work together to achieve this.
Respond as an individual or organisation
Your experiences and contributions to inform the strategy matter.
Anyone can share their experiences, and we encourage you to answer the survey questions in your own voice. When answering the questions, consider the role of governments, businesses and community in building a gender-equal society.
Start Survey (Individual)
Start Survey (On behalf of an Organisation)
More Information
If you have any questions about the consultation process or would like further information, please email [email protected]
Please visit Consultation on the National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality.
Associate Professor Magdalena Simonis AM is the Immediate Past President of the AFMW (2020-2023), former President of VMWS (2013 & 2017-2020) and current AFMW National Coordinator (2024-2026). She is a full time clinician who also holds positions on several not for profit organisations, driven by her passion for bridging gaps across the health sector. She is a leading women’s health expert, keynote speaker, climate change and gender equity advocate and government advisor. Magda is member of The Australian Health Team contributing monthly articles.
Magdalena was awarded a lifetime membership of the RACGP for her contributions which include past chair of Women in General Practice, longstanding contribution to the RACGP Expert Committee Quality Care, the RACGP eHealth Expert Committee. She is regularly invited to comment on primary care research though mainstream and medical media and contributes articles on various health issues through newsGP and other publications.
Magdalena has represented the RACGP at senate enquiries and has worked on several National Health Framework reviews. She is author of the RACGP Guide on Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery and co-reviewer of the RACGP Red Book Women’s Health Chapter, and reviewer of the RACGP White book
Both an RACGP examiner and University examiner, she undertakes general practice research and is a GP Educator with the Safer Families Centre of Research Excellence, which develops education tools to assist the primary care sector identify, respond to and manage family violence . Roles outside of RACGP include the Strategy and Policy Committee for Breast Cancer Network Australia, Board Director of the Melbourne University Teaching Health Clinics and the elected GP representative to the AMA Federal Council. In 2022. she was award the AMA (Vic) Patrick Pritzwald-Steggman Award 2022, which celebrates a doctor who has made an exceptional contribution to the wellbeing of their colleagues and the community and was listed as Women’s Agenda 2022 finalist for Emerging Leader in Health.
Magdalena has presented at the United Nations as part of the Australian Assembly and was appointed the Australian representative to the World Health Organisation, World Assembly on COVID 19, by the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA) in 2021. In 2023, A/Professor Simonis was included on the King’s COVID-19 Champion’s list and was also awarded a Member (AM) in the General Division for significant service to medicine through a range of roles and to women’s health.
