Gender Equality Amendment Regulations 2023

The new regulations

On 29 August 2023 the Victorian Government released the Gender Equality Amendment Regulations 2023. This is the third stage of regulations relating to the Gender Equality Act 2020.

The new regulations take effect on 30 September 2023. The regulations:

• require a progress audit to be completed for reporting progress against the workplace gender equality indicators
• require defined entities to submit progress reports in the format approved and published by the Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner on their website
• add existing regional libraries as defined entities from 1 July 2024, with their first workplace gender audit and Gender Equality Action Plan due in 2025. Existing regional libraries were also added as ‘designated bodies’, meaning they will be able to access the dispute resolution under the Act if their enterprise bargaining agreement has the relevant clause.

The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing consulted with defined entities, library corporations, unions, and peak bodies. The feedback helped to shape the regulations.

A summary of consultation feedback received and a Statement of Reasons, and how is has been addressed is available on Engage Victoria.

Updated progress reporting and audit guidance

The Commission has now updated the progress reporting guidance and the progress audit guidance in line with the changes introduced by the new regulations.

In summary, the guidance materials have been updated to clarify that a progress audit is now required to be completed and that a progress report must be submitted in templates published alongside the guidance materials.