Opinion: Why we can’t turn back on diversity, equity and inclusion

It seems popular at the moment for some local and world leaders to declare that we’ve done “enough” for diversity and inclusion.

Tracking the gender pay gap or making workplaces more flexible is “overkill”, according to those same loud voices.

Some even say DE&I - diversity, equity and inclusion - has gone too far and want to wind it back.

You don’t get an International Women’s Day cupcake for guessing where these assertions are coming from.

But here’s the Inconvenient Truth: diversity isn’t about replacing merit – it’s about finally recognising it and investing in its growth and development. We all want the best person for the job, as well as safe workplaces and communities.

Those of us who understand DE&I recognise that confronting what the Champions of Change Coalition have described as “the merit trap” allows us to access a bigger pool of talent, identify the best candidate for a particular role, and improve our organisation by taking advantage of diverse perspectives and experiences.

Decades of research, including from such prestigious conservative institutions as the London School of Economics, show that gender targets actually increase organisational competence by displacing mediocre men.

And while it may not fit the political narrative of some leaders, it has been proven that more diverse workplaces perform better - financially, culturally, and socially.

And with the exception of those pushed aside due to actual lack of merit, diversity isn’t a zero-sum game. It unlocks everyone’s potential. That’s not just good for individuals. It’s good for businesses. Good for the economy. Good for Australia.

But I get it. Change is uncomfortable. Long-held social norms are being challenged. And in an unequal society, people who land on top often want to believe their success is purely down to merit - overlooking how much privilege, luck, or systemic advantage played a role. Some fear that DE&I initiatives threaten their status, self-worth, or even competence.

What is clear is that we must keep marching forward because this is about the human rights, dignity and opportunities of millions of people. We can’t allow it to be dismissed as an “ideology”. Here in Victoria, a review is currently being held to find savings in the public service and I worry that some might consider it easy to target areas, deemed by some, to be areas where they think we have done “enough”.

That’s why I have written to the head of the Independent Review of the Victorian Public Service, Helen Silver AO, to urge the review to embed an intersectional gender lens in its analysis, particularly by applying gender impact assessments at agency, portfolio, and major program levels.

Applying an intersectional gendered approach – that is, considering how gender intersects with other attributes such as Aboriginality, disability, gender identity, and religion, will help ensure that women and marginalised groups are not disproportionately affected by efficiency measures.

There is clear evidence that austerity measures have negative, gendered consequences. Cuts to public sector jobs and social spending increase labour market instability, lower women’s workforce participation, widen income inequality, and have cascading effects on health and social wellbeing. These risks are particularly acute in the Victorian public service where women make up 70 per cent of the workforce and are overrepresented in part- time and casual employment.

To address this vulnerability, the landmark Victorian Gender Equality Act 2020 forced public sector organisations to conduct rigorous audits every two years, reporting on workforce composition, recruitment and promotion practices, access to flexible work and leave, gender pay gaps, occupational segregation, and sexual harassment prevalence. These insights inform Gender Equality Action Plans, which I first received in 2022, with updates due in May 2026.

In addition, organisations must undertake gender impact assessments for all programs, policies, and services with a direct and significant public impact, reporting to me on these and their progress on the gender equality indicators noted above, every two years.

Since the Act took effect in March 2021, the Victorian public sector has made progress – reducing gender pay gaps, increasing the proportion of women in CEO and senior leadership roles, and boosting the amount of parental leave taken by fathers.

However, efficiency measures that reduce resourcing for gender equality initiatives risk stalling, or worse, reversing these gains. Given the public sector’s leadership role in modelling best practice, this would have broader consequences for gender equality across Victoria.

Intersectional gender equality benefits everyone, improving health, economic, and social outcomes for all Victorians. The Silver Review has an opportunity not only to safeguard these outcomes but also to ensure that future reforms actively promote substantive gender equality.

This opinion piece was first published in The Mandarin on 11 March 2025.