Wednesday, 9 September 2026

 Sonja TERPSTRA (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (16:18): Today I rise to speak on the final report of the independent four-year statutory review of the Gender Equality Act 2020, which was proudly tabled in this Parliament on 27 August 2026 by the Carroll Labor government. When Victoria enacted this legislation in 2020 we became the first jurisdiction in Australia to mandate that public service bodies, local councils and universities must actively measure, plan for and progress gender equality. Four years on the independent review provides us with a clear evidence-based health check on how this landmark legislation is transforming our state. The headline finding of the review is unmistakeable: the act is working. It is effectively contributing to gender equality, and the public sector gender equality commissioner is successfully implementing the law exactly as Parliament intended.

Let us look at the stand-out improvements that have come from this act. Over the last four years we have seen a profound cultural shift across approximately 300 defined public entities in Victoria. The era of gender equality being a secondary HR box-ticking exercise is over. Because of this act, public sector employers are now legally required to run workplace gender audits and track critical metrics across seven key indicators, including the gender pay gap, leadership composition, flexible work access and the mitigation of workplace sexual harassment. Hundreds of agencies have successfully embedded four-year gender equality action plans, ensuring targeted, resourced actions to eliminate systemic barriers. Crucially, the positive impacts extend far beyond the office walls. Through mandatory gender impact assessments, local councils and departments are now actively evaluating how new policies, community programs and physical infrastructure, from local parks to public transport, serve all Victorians equitably. In short, the act has successfully laid down a robust structural platform that drives permanent, measurable change.

However, a robust review does not just celebrate success, it also highlights how we can continue to evolve. The report put forward five key recommendations aimed at sharpening our focus, streamlining compliance and ensuring that our regulatory framework matches the maturing needs of our public sector. The Victorian government has already formally published its response to the review, and I am pleased to highlight that the government has embraced the spirit of the review’s findings, aiming to solidify the commissioner’s regulatory capabilities while easing unnecessary administrative burdens on duty holders.

Moving forward, the government’s focus is on ensuring a risk-based, outcomes-focused regulatory approach. This ensures that the commissioner’s office can double down on areas that yield the highest impact for systemic improvement while removing red tape for smaller organisations. The response ensures that we will continue to look at data through an intersectional lens, ensuring that women of all backgrounds, including trans and gender-diverse Victorians, benefit from safe, equitable workplaces.

Gender equality is a known fundamental driver of broader social wellbeing and economic prosperity. When there are high rates of gender inequality, there are also high rates of gender-based violence. This four-year review proves that the path Victoria chose in 2020 was a step in the right direction. But of course there is always more to do. The framework is sound, the progress is real and the government’s response provides a clear road map to make the next four years even more impactful. I commend the report, the commissioner and the thousands of public sector workers across Victoria who are building a fairer state every single day. I commend the report to the house.