This bill became law on Mar 27th, 2025.
Work & employment
Large Australian employers with 500 or more direct employees must choose workplace gender equality targets every three years and then meet those targets or show improvement over that period.
The 2021 review exposed an "action gapThe problem the review found: employers were reporting gender equality data but not doing enough to change outcomes." in workplace gender equality reporting, with employers reporting data without enough action to improve outcomes. This bill creates a target-setting scheme for large employers, requiring them to choose gender equality targets and meet them or show progress.
Australia already had workplace gender equality reporting under the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012The earlier law that already required large employers to report on gender equality before this bill added target-setting., but a 2021 review found an "action gapThe problem the review found: employers were reporting gender equality data but not doing enough to change outcomes." because employers were supplying data without taking enough practical steps to improve results. The 2024 bill responded by making large employers set and pursue measurable gender equality targets, and after Parliament passed it in March 2025 the new scheme became law with Royal AssentThe final step that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act of Parliament. the next day.
The main case against the bill was that it could add heavy compliance costs and procurement risks for large employers while giving the minister too much control over target-setting rules. That objection came from Coalition speakers who opposed the bill outright, while Greens criticism ran in the opposite direction and argued the scheme was too weak rather than too harsh.
Hon Kate Thwaites MP introduced this bill. It passed with support from Labor, Greens, Australia's Voice, some crossbench members; opposed by Liberal Party, Nationals, One Nation, some crossbench members.
Did it become law?
Yes
Became law 27 Mar 2025
Final passage
Recorded final vote
1 counted final-passage vote was recorded.
Passage speed
127 days
From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step
Meaning
Large Australian employers with 500 or more direct employees must choose workplace gender equality targets every three years and then meet those targets or show improvement over that period.
An employer comes into this new target-setting scheme once it reaches 500 employees, and drops out only if it stays below 400 employees for six straight months or stops being covered by the law.
The Minister must set the target menu and the rules for choosing targets before each three-year cycle starts, so employers follow government-set requirements rather than making up their own framework.
Large employers can be treated as non-compliant if, without a reasonable excuseA legal reason an employer can give to avoid being treated as non-compliant., they finish a three-year cycle without meeting each chosen target or showing progress from their starting report.
Company groups are counted more broadly under the reporting law because a parent company is treated as employing staff in its subsidiaries, which brings more corporate groups within workplace gender equality reporting rules.
• Some larger employers (designated relevant employers) will also, every 3 years, need to select and include in their report targets (gender equality targets) against various gender equality indicators. Such employers are required to meet, or improve against, those targets over the following 3 year period (a target cycle).Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) as-passed bill text
(a) the number of employees of the employer falls below 400 for a continuous period of 6 months; orWorkplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) as-passed bill text
(1) The Minister must, by legislative instrument:Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) as-passed bill text
For the purposes of section 19D, a designated relevant employer is taken to fail to comply with this Act if, at the end of a target cycle for the employer, the employer has not, without reasonable excuse, in respect of each gender equality target selected by the employer for the target cycle, either:Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) as-passed bill text
This item clarifies how the definition of relevant employer applies to corporate groups. The provision has the effect of clarifying that in a corporate structure, a parent corporation is also taken to employ each of the employees of any of its subsidiaries.Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) explanatory memorandum
Context
Australia already had workplace gender equality reporting under the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012The earlier law that already required large employers to report on gender equality before this bill added target-setting., but a 2021 review found an "action gapThe problem the review found: employers were reporting gender equality data but not doing enough to change outcomes." because employers were supplying data without taking enough practical steps to improve results. The 2024 bill responded by making large employers set and pursue measurable gender equality targets, and after Parliament passed it in March 2025 the new scheme became law with Royal AssentThe final step that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act of Parliament. the next day.
Workplace Gender Equality Act starts national reporting
The 2012 Act created the Workplace Gender Equality AgencyThe government agency that collects workplace gender equality reports and checks whether employers meet their obligations on this page. reporting system that large employers were already using before this bill added a new target-setting layer.
Explanatory memorandum ↗2021 review finds an "action gapThe problem the review found: employers were reporting gender equality data but not doing enough to change outcomes." in gender equality reporting
The review found employers were reporting workplace gender equality data without enough action to improve outcomes, which became the central case for changing the law.
Why introduced ↗Government introduces the bill
The government presented the bill to require employers with 500 or more employees to choose measurable gender equality targets and then meet them or show improvement.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Parliament passes the bill
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, clearing the way for the new compliance scheme for the largest employers to become law.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Bill receives Royal AssentThe final step that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act of Parliament.
Royal AssentThe final step that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act of Parliament. turned the bill into an Act, locking in the shift from reporting alone to reporting backed by mandatory target-setting and progress expectations.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Referred to Committee (21/11/2024): Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee; Committee report (30/01/2025)
Referred to committee
APH bill page notesThe bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Referred to Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Reported from Federation Chamber
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Recorded vote: 34 to 30.
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
Recorded vote: 35 to 31.
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Finally passed both Houses
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final step that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act of Parliament., turning the bill into an Act.
Key criticism
The main case against the bill was that it could add heavy compliance costs and procurement risks for large employers while giving the minister too much control over target-setting rules. That objection came from Coalition speakers who opposed the bill outright, while Greens criticism ran in the opposite direction and argued the scheme was too weak rather than too harsh.
Criticism was real but divided between outright opposition and calls for a tougher scheme.
Red tape and contract risk for business
Coalition speakers argued the bill would pile extra compliance burdens onto large employers and could punish firms through government procurement consequences if they failed to meet or improve against targets. They warned this approach could hurt productivity and disrupt important supply arrangements.
Too much ministerial control over the scheme
Opponents said the bill leaves too much to the minister because the target menu and rules are set by legislative instrumentA rule made by the minister or government that sets details of the scheme without putting every rule directly into the Act., meaning core parts of the scheme would be controlled by government-made rules rather than fixed in the Act itself.
The bill may be too weak to force real change
Greens speakers supported passing the bill but argued it did not go far enough because it covered too few employers and did not require stronger action to close gender pay gaps. Their defeated amendments show that this was a push to strengthen the scheme, not a case for stopping it altogether.
Further sources
Votes
The chamber-passage votes come first. Expand a vote to see the party breakdown.
House agreed to the bill's third reading on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.
Passed on the voices
In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.
Passed 35 to 31. Support came from Labor, Greens, and Australia's Voice. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and One Nation. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Earlier bill-stage votes
Passed 84 to 52. Support came from Labor and Greens. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and Centre Alliance. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Passed 34 to 30. Support came from Labor, Greens, and Australia's Voice. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and One Nation. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Recorded amendment and procedural votes grouped by chamber. Expand a vote to see the party breakdown.
Senate
Passed 33 to 31. Support came from Labor, Greens, and Australia's Voice. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and One Nation. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Carried 33-31, so the Senate attached this policy statement to the bill’s second-reading motion. It did not itself change the bill text, but it signalled support for broader data collection on workplace gender equality.
Defeated 12 to 38. Support came from Greens and Australia's Voice. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal Party, One Nation, Nationals, and minor parties and independents.
The Senate defeated the package, so the bill proceeded without those extra equal-pay, lower-threshold and procurement-certificate changes.
This list includes amendment votes, procedural votes and votes on the bill itself.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Thwaites supports the bill and says it will push large employers to take measurable action on gender equality by setting and tracking targets.
Read in Hansard ↗Jane Hume says the Liberal Party will oppose the bill because it would impose heavy new compliance and procurement burdens on large businesses and gives the minister too much power over the target-setting rules.
Read in Hansard ↗Waters says the Greens support the bill because it is a long-overdue step toward making large employers act on gender pay gaps, but she argues it is too weak and should cover more employers and require real progress on closing the gap.
Read in Hansard ↗Malarndirri McCarthy supports the bill and says it will push large employers to take measurable action on gender equality, using targets and accountability to accelerate progress on the gender pay gap.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
3 speakers · 3 support
“This Bill will introduce a world-first targets scheme to accelerate action on gender equality by large Australian employers.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The bill will introduce a world-first targets scheme to accelerate action on gender equality by large Australian employers.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Bill 2024 is a vital part of the ongoing reforms that our government is delivering for Australian women. The data collected by WGEA has allowed us to track progress and increase transparency on workplace gender equality, including the gender pay gap. But we can't stop there. This bill introduces a world-first targets scheme aimed at accelerating action on gender equality by large Australian employers. It will require organisations with 500 or more employees in Australia to commit to achieving measurable targets for gender equality in their workplaces. Whether it's reducing the gender pay gap or improving gender diversity in leadership positions, employers will be required to set ambitious, transparent goals. We want employers to walk the talk on gender equality, and setting targets will help them do just that.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
2 speakers · 2 oppose
“This bill places quite significant and onerous financial implications on businesses. The legislation will affect over 1,650 of Australia's largest companies by potentially precluding them from supplying goods or services to the Commonwealth government at or above $80,000 in critical areas, including agriculture and forestry; forestry and fishing; construction; education and training; manufacturing; and mining.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“The Workplace Gender Equality Agency should be focused on positively encouraging businesses to promote gender equality, not threatening them with losing procurement prospects. It is on this basis that the coalition opposes this bill.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
1 speaker · 2 contributions · 1 support
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Larissa Waters on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Waters says the Greens support the bill because it is a long-overdue step toward making large employers act on gender pay gaps, but she argues it is too weak and should cover more employers and require real progress on closing the gap. She says the party will move amendments to strengthen the targets and make government contracts depend on compliance.
“I rise to speak in support of the Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Bill 2024. The reason we're supporting this bill is that we've had gender pay gap reporting for some years now. Companies with over 100 workers have had to check whether they've got a gender pay gap and tell the Workplace Gender Equality Agency if they do. That's a good start. You can't fix a problem if you don't know you've got one. But there has never been an obligation in our laws to do anything to actually close the gender pay gap that the company has identified it's got, which makes a bit of a mockery of the process of reporting.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
Second reading speech
Waters supports the bill and wants it passed now, saying it is a step in the right direction and the last chance this parliament has to act on the gender pay gap. She argues for stronger amendments, including broader coverage and tougher requirements, because the bill does not go far enough.
“I'm pleased this bill has been listed on the Notice Paper today. I'm hoping the coalition doesn't just talk it out so that we can't get to a vote to pass these improvements. They're not as strong as the Greens want, but they are a step in the right direction, and we will keep pushing for real action to close the gap not in 15 years but now. Women need to be paid what they deserve across every industry, at every level and in every role. It's the last sitting week of parliament and this is our last chance to get action on the gender pay gap. Let's do it by passing this legislation now.”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Referred to Federation Chamber
Referred to Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Reported from Federation Chamber
Reported from Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Second reading agreed to
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
House · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Senate · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate · Second reading agreed to
Recorded vote: 34 to 30.
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Senate · Third reading agreed to
Recorded vote: 35 to 31.
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Parliament · Finally passed both Houses
Passed both houses
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Assent · Assent
Assent
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final step that turns a bill passed by Parliament into an Act of Parliament., turning the bill into an Act.
Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee; Committee report (30/01/2025)
Referred to committee
Referred to Committee (21 Nov 2024): Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee; Committee report (30 Jan 2025)
APH bill page notes
