AMP is rare among ASX 200 entities, having had both a female CEO and female chair in place since 2021, when Alexis George was appointed CEO.

Both Hazelton and George led AMP in the fallout from the banking royal commission, as well as through issues that plagued its AMP Capital arm. They also came to the helm just three years after AMP’s once gender-equal board became all-male, when three female board members stepped down at the same time following investor scrutiny and shareholder pressure.

AMP announced Hazelton’s retirement this morning, with former CEO of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Mike Hirst appointed as her replacement.

Hazelton took the lead on the board after former chair David Murray stepped down in 2020 following pressure on the board over its decision to appoint Boe Pahari as AMP Capital CEO, despite knowing he’d been ordered to pay a financial penalty for sexually harassing a subordinate.

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Rather, she thinks about her days as having 24 hours that she can balance between her personal and work lives, and her weeks as seven days that can also be carved up. 

Working across different timezones for Microsoft, she still works more than a 40-hour week but will take time out during the day for a few hours to do something else and catch up on the weekend.

Once a quarter, she blocks out a week where she puts herself on “leave from meetings” to focus on the big picture. She uses the time to focus on strategy, as well as team development and getting across the latest trends in the industry. 

As Director, Specialty Technology Unit at Microsoft, this approach to work is one Wise shares with her team, encouraging them to find what works best for them and being honest about how it’s working out for her.  

“I’m transparent about my challenges and success, and this gives them permission to do the same,” Wise tells Women’s Agenda.  

Microsoft’s approach to hybrid work and flexibility is bucking the trend of the push to get employees back to the office Monday to Friday. Team members can choose between working remotely for less than 50 per cent of their normal work week, or they can work remotely 100 per cent of the time if they have manager approval. 

The flex work policy is centred around recognising individual needs and promoting work-life balance. It also aims to support employees to work during the hours that are best for them in delivering according to expectations. It supports wellbeing and adaptability, but also productivity in recognising that people have individual approaches to getting their best work done. 

A blog post published more than four years ago by Kathleen Hogan, Executive Vic President and Chief People Officer, outlining the approach to flexibility still stands – again bucking the trend of some other tech firms to increasingly get people back to working in more traditional ways. “Moving forward,” she wrote in October 2021, “it is our goal to offer as much flexibility as possible to support individual workstyles while balancing business needs and ensuring we live our culture,” 

Increasingly, we’re seeing how workers want the best of both worlds when it comes to remote working and time spent in the office. Microsoft describes this as the “hybrid paradox”, noting figures from its 2021 Work Trends Index, a study of more than 31,000 workers in 31 countries, finding that 70 per cent of workers wanted flexible work to stay, but more than 65 per cent craved having more face to face time with their teams. 

For Elena Wise, staying flexible on how and when she works enables her to get the most out of her time, and to be constantly thinking about the future. She’ll dedicate headspace for planning, thinking and learning, and try to block out Mondays as meeting-free days – unless she needs to travel or there’s an urgent issue. “I use this time to get on top of key actions for the week ahead, and to upskill on some of our latest AI training, which really helps given how quickly the technology is moving.” 

With a career spanning some of the world’s largest organisations and biggest markets, including AMEX, PayPal and Google and ten years spent in Japan, Wise has developed her work style to be able to respond to needs across international borders. 

Asked how she establishes herself in new cities and markets, she recalls making her first international move and being given the advice always to give such a move at least six months because wherever you go, you’ll need time to adjust culturally and there will be times when you just want to pull the pin. “Patience is key,” she says. “Building relationships and trust is crucial and learning from different perspectives enriches your experience.” 

Wise says she spends time meeting people one-on-one both in work and social contexts, joining local business chambers, clubs and expat groups, and notes the importance of staying connected with current past colleagues and contacts. 

Wise is a pioneering woman in tech, now one of Microsoft’s most senior leaders in Australia and having spent years in senior leadership positions, including as country manager and GM Japan of PayPal and Country Manager of Google Technical Services in Japan and Korea. 

Looking broadly across the tech industry, she wants to see more companies pushing the focus beyond diversity and hiring to focus on inclusion, and understand women’s needs and perspectives. 

“There is a need to provide flexibility and tools for women to work in ways that suit their personal and professional goals, and not expect them to fit into rigid or traditional, often male-dominated or male-created, models,” she says. 

Wise wants to see more male allies getting involved in women’s networks and agendas to understand the experiences women have. She highlights one particularly positive experience of this at Microsoft, where she is seeing strong interest from male employees seeking guidance or support for partners experiencing menopause, which is one of the areas their Families Employee Resource Group is currently focusing on. 

“Companies in all sectors need to support women throughout their life cycle better, not just when they are having children, but also when they are caring for elderly parents, managing illness, or experiencing menopause, for example,” she says. 

Just as there is no one working style that will work for everyone, there is no set communication style for leading a successful team. 

“As leaders, we need to adapt our language and approach for different audiences/team members to help get the best outcomes – be those different genders, cultural backgrounds, or generational adjustments.”

Women’s Agenda spoke to Elena Wise to learn more about flexible work, thanks to our partnership with Family Friendly Workplaces.

This year Microsoft will be measuring their policies against the National Work + Family Standards as part of the Family Friendly Workplace Certification, having been certified for the previous two years already. Microsoft says it’s important employers pursue family-friendly workplace accreditation to demonstrate a commitment to work-life balance, gender equality, and employee well-being, and also for attracting and retaining the best talent and enhancing a company’s reputation. 

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Men continue to earn more per hour than women in all eight major occupation groups, with those in sales experiencing the lowest pay gap, at 7 per cent.

For those women in the “managerial” category, the pay gap is seeing their male counterparts earning $14.10 more, every hour. 

Bjorn Jarvis, who heads up the ABS’ labour statistics, said that hourly earnings comparisons are a useful tool for considering the complexity of the gender pay gap. They are particularly useful in understanding gender pay differences beyond weekly earnings measures, given women are more likely than men to work part-time. 

“The majority of all part-time employees are women (69 per cent) with higher average weekly earnings than part-time men ($817 compared to $759). This reflects the greater use of part-time working arrangements by women in higher paying jobs, compared to men,” he said.

The ABS figures are based on their survey of employee earnings and hours, conducted every two years, using May 2023 as a reference period.

While managerial positions have the highest gender difference of the eight categories, those in sales experience the narrowest gap, at seven per cent. There is a 10 per cent gap between the hourly earnings of professionals. 

Overall, managers enjoy the highest average hourly earnings ($67.20), followed by professionals ($60.60). Sales workers and Labourers receive the lowest hourly rate of occupation categories ($30.90 and $32.20). The overall hourly average is $44. Median weekly earnings were at $1,300, with men earning $1,509 and women $1,130.

The survey also found that Men were more likely to have their pay set by an individual arrangement (45 per cent), while a collective agreement was the most common method for women (38 per cent).

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She hasn’t taken promotion after promotion with a sole focus on one industry, nor did she start her first career in psychology with leadership aspirations. She hasn’t served in a CFO position, which is the most common prelude to taking a CEO role. 

Rather, she’s taken opportunities as they have come up and been driven largely by the need to build financial security for her family. Now, she wants to share more about this drive to help normalise conversations about earning more money as an immediate and necessary ambition for many women. 

“As a single parent for around 15 years, if I’m brutally honest, a lot of the career decisions I’ve made were driven by financial necessity, for a long time,” she says. 

“I tried to search for and pick jobs that paid well so I could provide financial security for my girls.” 

But while there was no set career plan, Taylor does say one thing she did deliberately do was examine opportunities carefully to determine how and if they could take her to the next step.  

“If it wasn’t the perfect opportunity or the one I really wanted, I would reframe it in terms of being another opportunity for my career that could lead to the thing I really wanted. And in the meantime, it could pay the salary I needed.”  

While Taylor always ensured the opportunities she did pursue would align with her values, she is open about the financial goals she had earlier on in her career in the hope it normalises the conversation among women. 

Taylor’s kids are now independent, but her drive for achieving better financial outcomes has seen her make career changes, shift industries, pick up management positions and increasingly take on more responsibilities. 

Having been in the CEO role of Women & Leadership Australia for around 18 months now, an organisation that provides courses and symposiums to support women in leadership, Taylor’s career now incorporates leadership of the organisation, as well as advocating for women’s financial security and empowerment. She does this by sharing some of her own experiences, as well as leveraging the research work Women & Leadership Australia does and the anecdotal evidence they have from the thousands of women they work with every year, to highlight some of the barriers facing women on pay, promotion and opportunity. 

She also says that it’s important to think about what your years of experience bring and might extend to. 

“I think we actually need to start talking about that. ‘Hey, I need to be paid well for the skills and the knowledge that I’ve accumulated over 40 years of working.”’

Taylor started her career in psychology but moved out of clinical work before moving into vocational education and training. 

She took a job with Mission Australia and worked her way up the ranks and into higher management positions, giving her the experience to become Deputy CEO of the Australian Institute of Management. Taylor’s first CEO role was at Government Skills Australia 

Taylor says she’s in a dream role at Women & Leadership Australia now, especially being a “card-carrying feminist” since the age of 14 and quickly realising that almost everyone working for Women & Leadership Australia is doing so because of their strong belief in the power of gender equity. She adds that the diversity of their workforce extends well beyond gender and results in a “range of terrific humans who work for us.” 

“The key role of a CEO is to set the structure, set the strategy, set the tone and set the culture so that people can actually do their job to the best of their ability,” she says. “So with those things set, it’s then getting out of their way and letting them do those jobs.” 

Sparking conversations is also essential for a leader, she says, even if it’s just about saying “hello”. She shares a strategy she once used in an office which involved putting time aside early to respond to emails and set things up for the day before actually blocking out time in the diary to ensure she was available to greet and check in with team members as they were starting the day. 

Taylor says setting a tone around culture and strategy should be a no-brainer for leaders, but that she has seen many senior managers who routinely do the opposite and ultimately make it harder for people to succeed. 

Looking into 2024, Taylor will be leading Women & Leadership Australia as it further grows its leadership courses and continues a national program of conferences. 

She believes the next year will be pivotal for addressing some of the barriers holding women back from leadership. 

Pay transparency particularly is set to be a game changer, with the Workplace Gender Equality Agency set to release the gender pay gaps of organisations with more than 100 employees within the first few months of the year. 

“If people call it naming and shaming then so be it,” she says on firms seeing their gender pay gaps published. “If you have more than 100 employees, then you have an HR team. You should have the resources to address gender inequity. 

Taylor says we should expect the competition for talent to also be a key issue for leaders in 2024, given the continued skills shortage and Australia’s low unemployment figures. That means workplaces will need to work harder at providing great policies for potential and existing talent, especially around flexibility, work-from-home options, paid parental leave and other areas. She especially wants to see more men taking up flexibility, highlighting how such trends will ultimately support women. 

“Leaders need to focus on shifting the conversation about flexibility being a woman’s issue,” she says. 

“Flexibility is about breaking down patriarchal structures which we know don’t just negatively affect women – they negatively affect men as well.” 

Taylor also sees 2024 as bringing a greater push for more evidence on how leadership programs and other activities are actually shifting the dial for women in leadership. Women & Leadership Australia has been measuring such activities for some time, with a 2021 survey of 2000 participants highlighting what their programs have delivered for them. 

The push for transparency on program success will also be important considering the gender pay gap data WGEA will be publishing. Organisations will want to see evidence of what works. 

“We don’t want participants to be taking on courses and wasting their time on things that might be nice to do and feel good but don’t actually impact their world or work in any way,” she says. 

Taylor highlights the role of Women & Leadership Australia in providing an alternative to more traditional coaching, especially for women who may spend a lot of time at work and at home dealing with the needs and demands of others and aspire to build on their own personal 

“We hear from women that coaching is often just another way of trying to get them to do things a certain way when actually they want to do things their own way. And they ask, ‘why is my style or my approach less valued than others? Why do I need to be coached to be a certain way?” 

As for providing a women-only program, Taylor says that the research shows women’s only programs provide psychologically safe environments. “We get the pushback, ‘what about the men’? But frankly, men have had it all their way for a really long time. And I’m not saying they don’t need support, but there is a whole lot of stuff out there that has been designed by men, for men.” 

Taylor says that in her 18 months in the role, she’s genuinely been overwhelmed by the quality of the programs and symposiums. 

“Yes the outcomes for women are driven by the quality of the content and the teaching and the practical solutions offered, but it’s also driven by the psychological safety of providing a women’s only environment,” she says. 

Women’s Agenda has partnered with Women & Leadership Australia in 2024 to elevate the voices of women involved in their symposiums and programs and to report back from their events. You can check out all the upcoming symposiums here. https://www.wla.edu.au/symposium/

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“It’s not where people want to be, no one goes into marriage thinking they’re going to get divorced,” Elliott from boutique family law firm Broun Abrahams Burreket says. The divorce rate in Australia is 2.2 divorces per 1,000 residents as of 2022, according to the Australian Institute of Family Studies, and Elliott says no one divorce case is the same.

Divorces in Australia can cost anywhere between $300 and $100,000 – although Elliott says she’s witnessed costs surge beyond this.

And in this economic climate, it’s women who will be hit the hardest when they are faced with a divorce, as it widens the already existing gender pay gap. A study from 2022 found women experience a decline in income as large as 50 per cent after a divorce, while the income of men suffered minimal, if any, loss. It’s even worse for our most vulnerable women, including women experiencing domestic violence.

Speaking with Women’s Agenda, Elliott, who has more than 15 years’ experience in family law, discusses the challenges of divorce, including the financial burden of the legal process, and how legal loans can lighten the load.

Option 1: Mediation

There are three main processes to resolve the issues that arise from separation and divorce, including the divorce itself, property settlement and arrangements for children, if there are children involved. The minimum cost of the divorce itself – that is, applying for a divorce and having it considered by the Court – is $350, but can cost up to $1060, plus legal costs.

While property settlement and parenting arrangements can be settled through other legal pathways, Elliott says going to court will often skyrocket the total cost of divorce.

“If you can stay out of court, often that means your costs are lower because once you’re in court, the decision making is out of your control,” Elliott says.

One option to work out property settlement and arrangements for children is through mediation.

“More than half of my matters now would be resolved at mediation,” Elliott says.

“In both property and parenting matters, you have to try and mediate first before you go to court. The court rules require you to do that, unless it’s urgent or you fall within another exception.”

Mediation can cost from $4,000 to $30,000, depending on each case. It involves the parties involved in the divorce, their lawyers and a mediator, often a retired judge or counsellor.

“You sit down and you try and resolve your dispute by talking about it, going back and forth, putting various positions and hopefully moving closer together and meeting somewhere in the middle,” Elliott explains.

Option 2: Collaborative Practice

Another option Elliott offers her clients is collaborative practice.

“Collaboration is slightly different to mediation… it’s very much led by the clients and how quickly they want to move things along,” she explains.

In the room are the parties, their lawyers and a “collaborative coach”, who all sign an agreement before commencing proceedings which says in part that if the collaboration fails, the parties must get new lawyers.

“Part of the idea is that everyone’s very motivated, including the parties and their lawyers, to resolve the dispute during the collaborative process rather than going to Court,” Elliott says.

Option 3: Litigation

If parties can’t resolve their dispute out of Court, another option is litigation, which means going to court. Elliott says this is often the most expensive pathway.

“You have to pay court fees, but also lawyers have to go to court to appear for you on each occasion,” she says.

Cases can have several court days, and while the court usually says the final hearing for the case will be within a year of commencing proceedings, Elliott says it can be longer than that, which of course means it can raise the costs of the process.

“The reason why costs can build up as much as they do is that, family law, as you would expect, is a very emotional area of law. People sometimes can be running on emotion and that can make them less objective,” Elliott says.

What if I can’t afford my divorce?

A report from The Separation Guide this year found nearly half (46.6 per cent) of couples doing through divorce attempted to file divorce without any legal advice, highlighting just how much the financial burden of divorce weighs on people in Australia.

A divorce with no legal advice can be detrimental to women, particularly women in dangerous situations, like cases of family and domestic violence. According to a survey from Australian Family Lawyers this year, lawyers cited domestic violence, coercive control and abuse as the top reason for divorce.

“There are a lot of women in really difficult situations, whatever kind of violence it might be, and financial abuse is obviously very real and present,” Elliott says.

“They might not feel like they have any access to funds to be able to leave a really difficult situation.”

Just seven years ago, there were no options for couples to access a legal loan for their divorce. Plenti was the first organisation to offer this option. Now, the organisation has partnered with more than 620 family law firms across Australia.

As the Head of Legal Finance, Rose Dravitzki oversees lending from Plenti, who are committed to assisting people throughout the process of a divorce, and often women are are impacted the most.

“We work with family lawyers very closely,” she says.

“We partner with them and they essentially let us know when their clients might need some assistance with funding their matter so they can achieve a fair outcome for their families.”

For the last seven years, Plenti has been providing loans to people who are struggling to afford their divorce, and this can be for several different circumstances.

“Sometimes the other side – often the husband, but not always – might have the greater income,” Dravitzki explains.

“Sometimes people can be working too, but they just don’t have enough. With current price pressures, as well as inflation… people are struggling to meet their current bills.

“So a divorce on top… that’s a lot.”

Like Elliott, Dravitzki notes how the emotional aspects of divorce can increase costs.

“It’s hard for some people to take a step back and say, ‘maybe we can work this out in a more amicable way and it will cost less’,” Dravitzki says.

To address this issue, Plenti offers legal loans to people going through divorce and struggling with the costs associated with the process. Lawyers can either refer clients to Plenti, or people seeking a loan can go to Plenti’s website themselves and apply there.

As the only company offering legal loans to people going through divorce to carry a credit licence, Dravitzki said the loans ease the financial pressures of what is a “highly emotionally charged” situation.

In navigating the complex terrain of divorce, legal finance solutions like those provided by Plenti offer a lifeline to individuals grappling with the emotional and financial burdens of this highly challenging chapter of life.

You can find out more about Plenti’s legal fee loans here.

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These women will be agenda setters, thanks to their leadership positions, their talent and their sheer tenacity. 

We’ve selected these women according to our news coverage over the past 12 months or so and following editorial meetings and research regarding what we can expect from 2024. 

They are, of course, just a sample of the women who will be establishing new agendas and new paths forward. And, just like in 2023, we know there will be women and new names that will emerge throughout the year. Also, just like in 2023 and every year before it, we are also well aware of all the women who lead and establish agendas in their own essential spheres of influence, leadership that doesn’t make the headlines but is just as important regardless. 

We have chosen the below categories to focus on, based on the key areas we cover on Women’s Agenda.

Politics

Senator Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs

As a humanitarian crisis in Gaza threatens widespread war in the Middle East, all eyes will be on Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator Penny Wong, who will drive Australia’’s foreign policy response to the unfolding situation.

Jacinta Allen, Premier of Victoria

Jacinta Allen has not yet served six months as the Premier of Victoria, the second woman to lead in the state’s history. She will play a key role in meeting the goals and objectives set out in Victoria’s gender equality strategy and action plan 2023-2027.

Jodie Harrison MP, Minister for Women

The NSW Minister for Women Jodie Harrison was behind the establishment of the NSW Women’s Advisory Council, which met for the first time in December 2023. She, along with the twelve community leaders who sit on the council, will ultimately shape the political agenda for women in NSW.

Zoe Daniel MP, Independent Member for Goldstein

Zoe Daniel is one of the “teal independents” who sits on the crossbench in the House of Representatives. The Member for Goldstein, along with other independent MPs, has been very vocal on climate action, integrity in polics, women’s safety economic equality and health, as well as sexual violence on university campuses. She shows no signs of slowing down in 2024.

Sussan Ley, Deputy Leader of the Opposition

Sussan Ley is the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the Shadow Minister for Women. Although last year she came under fire for her views on strip clubs, she ended the parliamentary year by launching a domestic violence awareness drive. As domestic violence took the lives of 63 women in 2023, Ley will be vital in putting pressure on the government from the Opposition to turn these statistics around.

Tech

Luli Adeyemo, Executive Director of the TechDiversity Foundation

The tech industry is evolving ever so rapidly, and we need diversity in the sector now more than ever. As Executive Director of the TechDiversity Foundation and the winner of the 2023 Women’’s Agenda Emerging Leader in Tech award, Luli Adeyemo is on a mission to do just that.

Melanie Perkins, co-founder and CEO of Canva

Melanie Perkins is leading the charge in Australia’s tech industry, as the co-founder of Canva topped the list of the Australian Financial Review’s Young Rich List for the third year in a row.

Ashi Bhat, founder of the INSIDER app

Ashi Bhat describes herself as a serial entrepreneur. Over a year ago, the TEDx speaker and marketing leader founded INSIDER, an app that revolutionises brand loyality programs using blockchain technology.

Shirley Gwynn, CEO of TALK5

Shirley Gwynn was appointed as CEO of TALK5, Australia’s first AI-powered, voice enabled Work Health and Safety (WHS) software platform, at the end of last year. Heading into 2024, Gwynn will play a key role in breaking down cultural, literacy and language barriers to bridge the gap between safety protocols and frontline workers.

Prof. Svetha Venkatesh, co-director, A2I2, Alfred Deakin Professor at Deakin University

As the leading Australian computer scientist, Professor Svetha Venkatesh has already made headway in activity and event recognition in multimedia data. Her work, which has been recognised internationally, will be vital in Australia’s tech industry coming into 2024

Dr Ramona Vijeyarasa, chief investigator, Gender Legislative Index

Dr Ramona Vijeyarasa is the woman behind the Gender Legislative Index, the first comprehensive IT-based tool to improve legislation for women in Australia. Her passion and expertise in women’s rights and gender equality is much needed in Australia’’s tech scene.

Business

Michele Stanfield, founder of Cauldron

Climate change, overpopulation and other environmental issues has elicited food insecurity in many parts of the world. Michele Stansfield is set to change that with her biochemistry start-up Cauldron, a fermentation business creating nutritious and sustainable compounds for new and innovative plant-based foods.

Michelle Simmons, founder of Silicon Quantum Computing

Michelle Simmons, the 2018 Australian of the Year and Scientia Professor at the University of New South Wales, is still at the forefront of Australia’s quantum computing discipline. Now, her new startup Silicon Quantum Computing has the potential to advance the field even further.

Vandana Chaudhry, founder of Andisor

Vandana Chaudry has been an executive at Deliveroo, Crocs and now has founded her very own business, Andisor. The e-commerce platform seamlessly connects retailers and wholesalers on an easy-to-use digital platform, revolutionising the sector.

Mundanara Bayles, founder of BlakCast

At the end of 2023, Australia’s first ever network of podcasts highlighting stories of First Nations Peoples and people of colour launched. The woman behind BlakCast, Mundanara Bayles, has certainly given opportunities for First Nations Peoples to reclaim their narratives and strengthen cultural identity, starting in 2024 and beyond.

Shemara Wikramanayake, CEO of Macquarie Group

The managing director and CEO of Macquarie Group Shemara Wikramanayake ranked number nine in Fortune’s 100 Most Powerful Women of 2023. This impressive accolade makes her one woman to watch in the business world – both in Australia and worldwide.

Vanessa Hudson, CEO of Qantas

Vanessa Hudson stepped up as CEO of Qantas last year in what was certainly the ultimate “glass cliff” situation. After a horror year for the aviation company, Hudson will determine how Qantas will bounce back.

Lacey Webb, founder of Resource Hub

Lacey Webb’s female-led small business Resource Hub has revolutionised waste management for businesses in Australia. As the winner of the 2023 Women’s Agenda Small Business Leader of the Year award, she is certainly one to watch, setting the agenda in the Waste and Resource Recovery sector.

Suzie Betts, founder of Boob Armour

Women’s sport had its biggest year yet in 2023 – and interest is only getting stronger. Suzie Betts’ revolutionary product Boob Armour will help sport for women become safer and even more accessible. Betts was the 2023 Women’s Agenda Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year.

Tara Croker, founder of Yaala Sparkling

Tara Croker is a proud Wiradjuri woman and the founder of Yaala Sparkling, non-alcoholic beverages that honour the true flavours her Ancestors have enjoyed for generations. In 2023, Croker, a finalist in the Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards, received investment from Shark Tank’s Dr Catriona Wallace, which will surely boost the success of what is already a successful business in 2024.

Health

Sam Mostyn, Chair of Beyond Blue

Accomplished business leader and advocate Sam Mostyn is set to play a pivotal role in the mental health space this year, as she settles into her new role as Chair of Beyond Blue. Mostyn has replaced former Prime Minister Julia Gillard in the role, and says she is focused on increasing digital and other accessible support for mental health and wellbeing. She is also the Chair of the government’s Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce.

Samantha Payne, founder of the Pink Elephants Support Network

As the founder of the Pink Elephants Support Network, Samantha Payne is a leader in the national conversation on miscarriage and early pregnancy loss. Named Agenda Setter of the Year at the 2023 Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards, Payne will continue to push for policy reform to improve the lives of women and families going through the devastation of pregnancy loss.

Professor Gita Mishra, NHMRC Leadership Fellow, University of Queensland

Professor Gita Mishra first came onto our radar last year when she was a senior author in a University of Queensland study that found women with endometriosis are likely to experience high rates of other health conditions. The longitudinal research was the first of its kind, and will help support the improvement of women’s quality of life. We expect Professor Mishra to be a central figure in endometriosis research this year.

Dr Danielle Wilhour, neurologist, UCHealth Neurosciences Center

As a board-certified neurologist who specialises in headache medicine, Dr Danielle Wilhour, has written about gender differences in migraines – more than three times as many women experience migraines – and the importance of bridging the gender gap in migraine research to empower women and advance our understanding of the condition.

Associate Professor Anna Boltong, CEO of Ovarian Cancer Australia

Associate Professor Anna Boltong was appointed CEO of Ovarian Cancer Australia towards the end of last year, and will continue to play an influential role in the health sector this year as she looks to develop the organisation’s strategic plan. Ovarian Cancer Australia is focused on bridging gaps to ensure everyone has equal access to timely and comprehensive support for ovarian cancer.

Sport

Ariarne Titmus, Australian Olympic swimmer

One of Australia’s hottest prospects at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Ariarne Titmus is one of the key athletes to keep an eye on this year. She excelled at the Swimming World Championships last year and is expected to do the same in Paris.

Kelsey Lee Barber, Australian Olympic athlete: javelin

Kelsey Lee Barber is the reigning world champion in javelin and will be one of the key Australian athletes to know at the upcoming Paris Olympics.

Jade Melbourne, WNBL player for University of Canberra Capitals

WNBL and UCCapitals player Jade Melbourne has been named in the Australian Opals extended squad ahead of the Olympic Qualifying tournament in February, where the Opals will look to secure their spot for the Paris Olympics. At just 21 years old, she was the youngest player in the WNBA in the US last year.

Zarlie Goldsworthy, AFLW player for GWS Giants

GWS GIANTS’ Zarlie Golsworthy was named the Rising Star at the 2023 AFLW awards, and at just 19 years old, also made her maiden appearance on the All-Australian side for the AFLW. As we head into the next season, she is one to keep watching.

Cortnee Vine, Australian soccer player for Sydney F.C. and the Matildas

Matildas up-and-comer Cortnee Vine was one of the most exciting players to watch at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 – memorably scoring a winning penalty against France – and is a player to watch at the upcoming Olympics as the Matildas look to secure a medal.

Leadership

Katherine Berney, Director of the National Women’s Safety Alliance

Katherine Bearney is a central figure in the sexual, domestic and family violence sector, and uses her platform to drive change to create better outcomes for women across Australia. She was recognised last year as Women’s Agenda’s Emerging Leader in the NFP sector.

Prabha Nandagopal, founder of Elevating Consulting Partners

Human rights lawyer Prabha Nandagopal, the founder of Elevating Consulting Partners, has worked with employees across Australia who have faced sex-based discrimination, sexual harassment and racism. She recently spoke to Women’s Agenda about the importance of employers implementing positive duty properly and has a background as the Director of Legal for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces review in 2021.

Charmaine Hunzwi, President of Incubate Foundation

Charmaine Hunzwi is the President of Incubate Foundation, an organisation supporting young African Asutralians to reach their fullest potential; and Founder of Safe Space Media which creates content that challenges the narratives of under-represented communities. She was named an Agenda Setter finalist at the 2023 Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards, and is a changemaker to watch this year.

Angelique Wan, co-founder and CEO of Consent Labs

Co-founder and CEO of Consent Labs, Angelique Wan was named Agenda Setter of the Year at the 2023 Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards, and is continuing her work to help young people develop a better understanding of consent through education.

Arts/Culture

Shankari Chandran, author, Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens

In 2023, Shankari Chandran won the Miles Franklin Literary Award for her novel Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens. This year will see her fourth novel, Safe Haven, published, a story highlighting the plight of refugees seeking asylum in Australia. Her book no doubt will help change the narrative around asylum seekers in this country.

Bri Lee, author, The Work

The arts industry continues to battle with the struggles of funding, cost of living and more. Bri Lee, author of Who Gets to be Smart and award-winning Egshell Skull, explores these struggles plus so much more in her new book The Work, which will be published this year.

Gracie Otto, director, Ladies in Black

Ladies in Black is a television drama expected to hit screens this year. The female-led production team created the series to explore the lives of women in Australia in the late 1950s, where although much has changed, some challenges are still relatable even today. The show was directed by Gracie Otto.

Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese, writers, Lesbian Space Princess

Lesbian Space Princess is an animated television series, written by Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese. The show will champion greater representation for LGBTQIA+ identities, plus so much more, for 2024.

Cathy Randall, director, Red Rock Run

Cathy Randall is well-known for directing Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueberg (2008) starring Toni Collette. This year, she will be directing the feature film Red Rock Run, following the story of a young girl pursuing to run a gruelling 120km race.

The post Who will define 2024? These are our top picks for women to watch appeared first on Women's Agenda.

Having now grown to more than 60 staff and $30 million a year in revenue, A23 has appointed one of those initial eleven first starters as CEO, to lead the company’s bold plan to target another 75 per cent in growth over the next three years.

Proud Kamilaroi woman and entrepreneur Natalie Legg takes the CEO role, replacing Simon Metcalfe, who will move into a new Chief Growth Officer role.

On being replaced by Legg as CEO, Metcalfe said that her perspectives as an Indigenous woman were a significant asset to the company.

 “Having a First Nations woman move into this role really represents something for the company, it’s about advancing opportunities,” he said.

“This is an industry dominated by men, especially in senior leadership, that should change, and this reflects that. It is a chance to lead by example,” he said.

He described her as a strong leader who has already contributed significantly to getting the company to where it is today.

Legg also brings her entrepreneurial experience to the role, as she owns a cafe and bar in Canberra.

Legg said on her appointment that at a macro level, she wants to see the consultancy grow beyond Canberra to take on more private sector clients.

“At a cultural level, I want to lead a company with clear communications and positive culture. And I hope we can continue to be an employer of choice, championing diversity with more women and diverse cultural backgrounds,” she said.

“We are aiming for 25 per cent year on year growth over the next three years. With Simon in his new role we want to expand further into Sydney and Brisbane; do more work outside of Government and expand our offerings. There is still plenty to do in Canberra though, we’re only just getting started.”

Originally from North Western NSW, Legg has lived in Canberra for nearly twenty years.

Metcalfe described his decision to step back from the CEO role as also being about realising that he was personally ready for a change, and looking at what the company needed to do for growth.

“We recognise that to grow further we need a focused sales engine to drive our goals over the next three years. I’m looking forward to working with the team to build and drive this.”

The IT consulting firm helps organisations achieve digital transformation outcomes across business applications, data and analytics.

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You may be familiar with the popular TikTok trend, #ATARreaction. You see the face of a Year 12 student logging on to their computer, then they wait a few moments before they collapse in tears, relief and celebration.

You have just witnessed them receive their final results.

It is Year 12 results season around Australia. Earlier this week, Victorian and New South Wales students got their marks. Results in Queensland are out today, with Western Australia and South Australia due on Monday.

Accompanying these scores will be countless celebrations and commiserations, as thoughts turn to life after school. There is also a huge community focus – via the media – on students who achieve perfect or near-perfect scores.

The same kinds of stories focus on the very high achievers each year. While this may seem like a joyous ritual, we should pause to consider how we frame the end of Year 12 and “success”, and how we can help students navigate these turbulent times.

An annual media event

There is a distinct pattern to the stories about results each year.

For decades, we have been conditioned to expect the reporting of ecstatic scenarios, with students celebrating high or perfect scores and talking about their feelings and plans.

A selection of headlines this week include, “Practically perfect in every way,” “The top student in every HSC subject revealed”, “Joy at HSC band 5s and 6s” and “Meet the duxes of 2023”.

There are also retrospectives on past students who have excelled and showcases of schools with the most top students.

Social media has only exacerbated these public displays, with ATAR “reaction videos” garnering millions of views on platforms like TikTok.

This reinforces a set narrative to receiving your results: you get them and are immediately overjoyed. While these students should – and have every right to – celebrate their achievements, not all students will feel this way.

A narrow definition of success

Alongside these scores for individual subjects, many students will also receive an ATAR ranking, which tertiary institutions use to help select applicants.

Disproportionately focusing on perfect scores and rankings narrowly defines what success can be. Indeed, because the ATAR is a percentile rank, these perfect scores are only ever possible for a handful of students.

It is also worth remembering that all such scores and rankings are to simplify a very complicated and complex phenomenon – student learning.

Any “one size fits all” approach overlooks how success will be different for different people.

For some, it might be completing Year 12 despite considerable personal hardship or disadvantage. For others, it could be securing entrance to their preferred course and university.

Failing to embrace diverse definitions of success fails to acknowledge the circumstances and contexts of students and communities. It affects not only this year’s cohort but also younger students who are exposed to this media coverage and are conditioned to think this is what success is.

How can we approach it this time?

There are many ways we can overcome this one-dimensional view of schooling success. But it requires an intentional shift to the way schools, politicians, the media and the broader community understand and discuss ATAR rankings.

First, we should openly acknowledge there is more to life than ATAR and being on an honour roll.

We should publicly celebrate not only the “practically perfect” but also the many different kinds of success our students achieve.

Not every student will even receive an ATAR (some opt not to), as this ranking is only used to determine entrance to some courses at some tertiary institutions. Many universities offer places to students without using ATAR rankings, including pathway options (such as upgrading to bachelor courses through diplomas and associate degrees), vocational study and alternative entry schemes.

Put differently, the ATAR only helps determine a student’s entry into a university or course right now. It does not determine which university course they will ultimately enter and complete via these additional possibilities.

Second, we should emphasise learning is a lifelong process.

This year’s Year 12s will encounter many different educational needs and opportunities over their lifetime. This might entail formal education via universities and TAFEs, but also on-the-job professional or vocational training and micro-credentialing.

These offerings will likely have nothing to do with a student’s ATAR.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, we should encourage students to share any anxieties they have with their parents and peers.

By publicly discussing the multiple pathways into university and what the ATAR actually means, schools, universities and families can help students minimise their mental health concerns.

Check in with each other, both in the lead-up to results and in the days and weeks after. Above all else, remind students they are always more than a score.

Steven Lewis, Senior Research Fellow, Australian Catholic University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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And while the 2023 season has officially ended, the athletes who graced the field left much to celebrate. 

Barriers were broken, stereotypes were shattered and astonishing teamwork was displayed. Here’s a look back at the magical moments that made up Season 8.

Indigenous round

Yindjibarndi woman and Port Adelaide’s star forward Gemma Houghton co-designed the guernsey for the AFLW’s Indigenous Round with  Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara artist Tjunkaya Ken, to represent sistership around the club. 

One element of the guernsey was an Indigenous story, which was passed on to Tjunkaya Ken by her grandmother. 

“The story line is two sisters – the older sister and the younger sister – and it’s about the older sister teaching the younger sister about life and the journey of coming together,” Houghton told Women’s Agenda.

The other element incorporated the memory of Houghton’s grandmother, Clara Coffin. 

“My grandmother collected hundreds of shells… and we were able to get photos of a couple of those shells that were really special to her, and they’re on the guernsey,” she said. 

Being able to represent both artists’ grandmothers on the guernsey was really special for Houghton and Ken, as it also represented the importance of “sistership” in their cultures, the club and beyond.

Pride round

The weekend between November 3-5, the AFLW held its Pride Round, marking the league’s fourth ever round dedicated to celebrating and supporting LGBTQI+ communities. 

All 18 clubs wore specially designed Pride guernseys, while field and boundary umpires wore rainbow-coloured sweatbands and goal umpires carried Pride flags.

The AFLW worked with not-for-profit organisation, Pride in Sport, to ensure it continues to learn and provide genuine support to the community.

Essendon co-captain Bonnie Toogood suggested to Women’s Agenda that the AFLW has cemented its place as an industry leader for LGBTQI+ inclusion. 

“Pride Round means we are able to continue being the industry leaders in that, because visibility is a key part of the education process,” she said.

Premiership of the AFLW Grand Final

The Brisbane Lions secured their second AFLW premiership, defeating the North Melbourne Tasmania Kangaroos in the Season 8 Grand Final.

The Lions also broke the AFLW record for the most tackles in one game, laying 110 tackles on the Roos throughout the match.

As the team celebrated the premiership – Brisbane’s second in the AFLW – one of the girls ran onto the field holding an unusual object above her head. 

It was a petrol can – and there is a special story behind it from pre-season, as Dakota Davidson explained in a post-match interview with 7 Sport. 

“We had to carry (the petrol cans) for 20km through a trek,” Davidson said. “So every time times get tough, we always throw up the jerry can.”

“(Then) everyone knows it’s time to work hard – like we did in the pre-season.”

Check out more AFLW season 8 highlights in the The Wrap Up eMagazine here.

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The firm says the overrepresentation of workers with disability in the gig economy highlights the need to remove any further delays in introducing minimum standards for these workers, including across pay, penalty rates, superannuation consultation, payment terms, insurance and more. Such minimum standards could also potentially include the right to annual leave, depending on the worker’s situation.

Cassandra Grey, a lawyer in industrial and employment law at Slater and Gordon said enshrining workers’ rights across the gig economy is essential. 

“Gig economy workers can have low bargaining power, low authority over their work and often receive pay at or below the rates of comparable employees, without the security and protection afforded to employees under Australian industrial relations law,” she said. 

“These reforms for gig economy and casual workers would positively impact many vulnerable workers who can face substantial power imbalances up against large digital platform employers and should not be delayed.”

Grey said casual employees also face potential uncertainty of available work, usually without any leave entitlements.

“People with disabilities already face tremendous hurdles in the workforce, including finding suitable employment, accessing reasonable adjustments, prejudicial attitudes of employers, discrimination and wage theft. So it’s disappointing, but unsurprising, that they’re having to turn to the gig economy to make ends meet,” she said. 

Research from the Australian Human Rights Council evidence heard by the Disability Royal Commission found that people with disability were more likely than others to work casual hours and work in the gig economy. Slater and Gordon says these findings mean these workers are also then more likely to be working without minimum standards and secure pay, issues that are becoming more problematic given the rising cost of living, as well as the additional expenses those with disability face in relation to their disability. 

Slater and Gordon’s findings come one month since the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability released its final report on 2 Novermber, which highlighted widespread wage theft from firms hiring workers with disability.

Current reform proposals would see wage theft becoming a criminal offence, prevent employers from paying labour hire employees lower rates of pay than their direct employees, and allow the Fair Work Commission to ensure gig economy workers receive added workplace protections. 

The reforms would also provide greater protection from discrimination for employees who experience family and domestic violence, and make it easier for casual employees to choose to move to permanent employment. 

“The statistics emerging from the Disability Royal Commission of the rates of violence, abuse, and neglect of disabled people in Australia are shocking, and it’s time that family and domestic violence was recognised as a protected attribute in anti-discrimination legislation,” said Grey.

“Stable and secure employment benefits both employees and employers. Employers who underpay workers should be made to pay civil penalties proportionate to the amount of the underpayment.”

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As world leaders meet this week in Dubai for COP28, I can’t help but wonder whether they continue to underestimate the impacts of the climate crisis on vulnerable communities, particularly children, or whether they simply just don’t care.

But perhaps it’s just a lack of exposure to the terrible reality of this unfolding catastrophe and so I want to take this opportunity to share what it’s like to live in Vanuatu, the most disaster-prone country in the world.

Living in Vanuatu means you know the next cyclone is always coming.  It’s just a matter of how devastating it will be.

We don’t even have time to be afraid of cyclones anymore, we just have to prepare for them, survive them and then recover from them. We do this over and over again nearly every year. It’s just how life is here, and we can’t escape that.

The most recent cyclone was just a few weeks ago, when Tropical Cyclone Lola, the first pre-cyclone season category five cyclone to occur on record in the southern hemisphere, destroyed hundreds of homes and schools and sadly, killed two people.

The unexpectedly early beginning of this cyclone season follows a nasty end to the last, in which Vanuatu was hit by twin Category Four cyclones in March of this year, destroying homes and leaving many families terrified for their safety.

Making matters worse, we’re expecting between nine and 14 cyclones to hit the region before the cyclone season ends in April, with many of them expected to be severe, and Vanuatu expected to be hardest hit.

This is the terrifying reality for children across the 83 islands that make up the small Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu. After all, Vanuatu is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, and the climate crisis is only making it worse.

During the cyclones in March, we had no power and there was no way to contact family and friends, so it was hard to know if they were okay or what damage had occurred across the country.  All the trees had been badly damaged, so we couldn’t find fresh food like pawpaw and bananas, which are usually a staple food. 

In Vanuatu, we’re doing everything we can to come up with solutions of our own to the challenges ahead by leading climate adaptation and working together for climate justice through the International Court of Justice.

In fact, my own father is involved in this action. After witnessing the loss of livestock and crops after the March cyclones, which left many families with little to no access to food, my father began working with Save the Children to preserve food so when future cyclones strike, families aren’t left hungry.

This is important work as humanitarian aid from other countries, while surely welcomed, can take a long time to arrive, especially during or in the immediate aftermath of a cyclone.

However, even by doing everything we can with the resources we have to not only prepare for cyclones but to help prevent the climate crisis from becoming worse than it already is, Vanuatu alone cannot have a significant impact because we have a minuscule carbon footprint compared to many other countries around the world.

I therefore find it deeply unfair that Vanuatu and many other small Island nations will suffer the impacts of the climate crisis before the large, developed countries that have caused it, and there’s nothing we alone can do about it.

With the world’s biggest climate summit, COP28 underway, I am hoping to see leaders from around the world step up and commit to seriously tackling this issue, which should include further action to reduce their carbon footprints and supporting countries already suffering climate impacts.

I hope they realise that if they fail, again, to do so, the climate crisis will only get worse and, along with it, extreme weather events, such as cyclones, more severe, at the expense of my future and the futures of all children.

This opinion piece has been provided with the help of Save the Children.

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Just one year since the launch of ChatGPT, OpenAI’s natural language processing chatbot, many of us have seen and experienced the potential of fast-emerging AI firsthand.

But what role could AI have in supporting our mental health?

Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman tackled the subject during a recent ‘Mini Keynote’ for our Keynotes series, part our video skills, ideas and learning app, The Keynotes.

Harman spoke about Beyond Blue’s mission to support people as they navigate through difficult times, always aiming to support people to feel better earlier, to get well and stay well. This includes for the rising number of people aged 15 to 24 who are now contacting the support services.

“Whether someone’s feeling more unsettled than usual or is turning to us in their darkest moment, we want them to trust that they’ll be met with compassion, knowledge, and pathways to support that suit their unique circumstances,” she said.

“Making the step to open up and say I need help is one of the most important steps a person can take to get on the road to recovery.

“And that’s why we need to make the process as easy and accessible as possible. Especially with so many online spaces and tools now at our disposal, making it difficult to know which information to support and trust, and where to access the right information safely.”

Beyond Blue offers live webchat options for people to contact counsellors, with Harman stressing people will also be connected with a real person.

But Harman said that AI advancements, as well as therapist-guided and self-guided techniques, are showing some good results in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms.

“This is not a debate about whether AI will be a phenomenon we need to engage with – it’s already here and evolving at warp speed.

“The question for those of us working in mental health is, can artificial minds help real ones? 

“And what are the risks in letting them try?” 

Harman noted the growing rates of distress and mental ill health facing Australia, especially following the pandemic, extreme weather events, natural disasters and cost of living pressures.

“Demand for support is growing and the existing workforce can’t keep up,” she said.

“There are widening gaps in inequity of access, and we’ve known for years that more than half of people with mental health conditions don’t access professional support.

“Many are delaying seeking help, or not reaching out at all, because of high costs or because options simply aren’t there.

People are facing long waitlists, are too often offered piecemeal, time-limited options, or struggle to access the right support.”

And, sadly, people are often very unwell before they get help. 

“So many people would benefit from low intensity support when they first start to struggle before their symptoms deteriorate.”

With this backdrop in mind, Harman says it makes sense to consider whether AI could be part of the solution.

With AI in this context covering everything from large scale data analysis to sophisticated algorithms, chatbot questionnaires and advanced Large Language Models like ChatGPT, Harman noted that what distinguishes AI from more traditional internet-based mental health interventions is its ability to learn quickly, adapt and evolve.

She said the emerging research is promising, and indicates that AI has the potential to improve early detection of mental health conditions.

Indeed, the power to analyse large swathes of language and information could also enhance professional practice, enabling the analyse of counselling sessions to offer therapist insights on what’s working and whether improvements are being made. Data insights could also help people to better self-manage and monitor their own mental health too.

But despite the enticing potential for AI, Harman notes that we must always be cautious about examining options for people at vulnerable points in their lives.

“It’s hard to imagine AI fully replicating the benefits of human relationships. That deep sense of connection that comes from being truly seen and understood might not feel as profound or authentic when computer-generated,” she said.

“There is also an inherent risk of bias or discrimination. We’ve seen concerning examples of facial recognition programs not recognising people of colour.”

We don’t have enough robust evidence for the widespread application of AI interventions in mental health. And as the World Health Organisation and many others warn, this rapidly developing tech raises ethical, legal and social concerns. Questions also remain about AI’s clinical safety.

At the end of the day, a computer can’t empathise, and it doesn’t care. 

“Digital mental health services are transforming the way people access supports and information, but we’re still in the early days,” says Harman.

Beyond Blue is currently strengthening its digital supports and making them easier to navigate. Harman said their priorities are to ensure accessible, personalised, safe and connected mental health support at the earliest stage possible.

“The opportunity for further investment and growth in digital mental health is enormous and we need to meet community expectations in the modern age,” she said.

“We owe it to those whose lives are impacted by mental ill health to explore every emerging solution, stacking AI’s potential risks against its benefits.

“With the right guardrails in place, we can harness technology to improve access, remove financial barriers and ensure every person gets the right support at the right time.” 

You can learn more about our video skills, learning and ideas app The Keynotes, here.

If you need help, please reach out:

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au

Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 or kidshelpline.com.au

Headspace: 1800 650 890 or headspace.org.au

Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au

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