About gender equality and women's economic outcomes
NSW Treasury is implementing a range of gender responsive budgeting tools and practices to ensure gender equality considerations are embedded into government decision-making and resource allocation processes. We have embedded Gender Impact Assessments on all new budget proposals over $10 million (unless exempt) and are publishing a Gender Equality Budget Statement alongside the annual NSW Budget.
Gender Equality Budget Statement
A Gender Equality Budget Statement is an important component of Gender Responsive Budgeting. It is a public document that outlines the impacts of the annual budget on gender equality.
In New South Wales, the Gender Equality Budget Statement is published as part of the State Budget. It examines the key issues relating to gender inequality across NSW and highlights the budget measures that seek to address these challenges.
The 2024 Gender Equality Budget Statement was published alongside the 2024-25 NSW Budget. Analysis and budget measures in the Statement are grouped under the 3 pillars of the NSW Women’s Strategy, these include:
- health and wellbeing
- economic opportunity and advancement
- participation and empowerment.
This Budget initiated implementation of gender responsive budgeting through the phased rollout of gender impact assessments, which enables gender equality considerations to be embedded into policy design and resource allocation.
The 2023 Gender Equality Budget Statement was published alongside the 2023-24 NSW Budget. Analysis and budget measures included in the Statement are grouped under the 3 pillars of the NSW Women’s Strategy, these include:
- economic opportunity and advancement
- health and wellbeing
- participation and empowerment.
Gender Impact Assessment
Gender Impact Assessments (GIAs) consider how a proposed policy, program or project may have different impacts on people based on their gender; this includes women, men and gender diverse people.
All government agencies are required to prepare GIAs for new budget proposals over $10 million, unless exempt.
NSW Treasury has developed the NSW Gender Impact Assessment Resource Hub to help NSW Government make better-informed decisions when designing policy and allocating resources. The Gender Impact Assessment Resource Hub includes:
- Gender Impact Assessment Policy
- eLearning
- guidance
- examples of gender impact assessments
- sources for data.
Gender Responsive Procurement
Gender Responsive Procurement leverages the NSW Government’s buying power, where possible, to encourage gender equality in our supply chains.
For more information email NSW Procurement.
Women's Economic Opportunities Review
The Women’s Economic Opportunities Review (WEO Review) was established in February 2022 to identify barriers to women’s economic participation and reform opportunities. The WEO Review was supported by an expert reference panel, chaired by Sam Mostyn AO.
As part of the WEO Review, we published a Technical Paper (PDF 1.87MB) which identified the key drivers of unequal outcomes between women and men in the NSW labour market, as well as estimating the impact of measures that increase the affordability, availability and quality of early childhood education and care.
The WEO Review’s findings informed the 2022-23 NSW Budget, with reforms to improve women’s economic opportunities outlined in the Women’s Opportunity Statement, published alongside the 2022-23 NSW Budget. This was followed by the First Nations Women’s Economic Participation Review (PDF 6.02MB), supported by NSW Treasury’s First Nations Expert Advisory Panel.
Read the Women's Economic Opportunities Review Terms of Reference (PDF 106.84KB)
NSW Treasury published the Women’s Opportunity Statement alongside the 2022-23 NSW Budget, setting out the NSW Government’s plans to make New South Wales the best place in Australia for women to live, work, and raise a family.
It draws on the findings from the Women’s Economic Opportunities Review, which was established in February 2022 to consider how to improve women’s economic security through increased economic participation over the next five to 10 years.
An Expert Reference Panel provided insights, advice and recommendations to improve women’s economic participation.
As part of the Women’s Economic Opportunities Review, this paper sets out technical research and models improvements following the publication of the 2021-22 NSW Intergenerational Report.
It identifies the key drivers of unequal outcomes between women and men in the NSW labour market and uses this to develop a modelling methodology that estimates the impact of measures that increase the affordability, availability and quality of early childhood education and care (ECEC).
The First Nations Women’s Economic Participation Review (PDF 6.02MB) provides a baseline of current First Nations women’s economic participation and identifies five priorities to empower First Nations women to realise their economic potential.
The Review has been developed in consultation with First Nations women and girls and an Expert Advisory Panel (EAP) of five leading First Nations women.
Childcare and women’s economic opportunities
The most common reason reported by Australian women who are not available to start a job or work more hours is that they are caring for children, which disproportionately impacts employment opportunities for women more than men. This is reflected in women’s workforce participation rates, where women’s participation rates drop and remain below men’s from their late twenties, around the age they begin to have children.
Universal, affordable and accessible childcare and early childhood education is an important lever available to make sure women with young children do not have to choose between having a family, having a career or having both.
View our technical paper (PDF 1.87MB) for more detail on the research underpinning the modelling assumptions.
The NSW Government has established the Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund to deliver new early childhood initiatives that directly support those who need it most - children, families and the workforce.
Find out more about the Childcare and economic opportunity fund
Workforce gender segregation in Australia
Industry and occupation gender segregation remains entrenched in the Australian workforce.
NSW Treasury has worked with Treasury representatives from all jurisdictions to prepare a technical paper: Workforce Gender Segregation in Australia (PDF 525.79KB). The paper provides an overview of gender segregation in Australian workforces, identifies underlying drivers of gender segregation and summarises key actions underway across jurisdictions aimed at supporting improved gender equality across Australian workforces.
This technical paper has been prepared by the interjurisdictional Women's Economic Outcomes Senior Officials Working Group (WEO-SOWG) of the Council on Federal Financial Relations to assist in informing policy efforts to address gender segregation in Australian workforces. The WEO-SOWG includes Treasury representatives from the Commonwealth and all state and territory governments.
Read the Background Papers Analysis of Supply-Side Drivers using HILDA data (PDF 339.2KB) and Key Findings from Expert Consultations (PDF 204.97KB).
Read the Technical Paper: Workforce Gender Segregation in Australia (PDF 525.79KB)
NSW Government commitment to gender equality
In February 2024, the NSW Secretaries Board committed to advancing gender equality within the NSW Government and broader community through the implementation of Gender Equality Action Plans.
Download the NSW Leadership Statement to advance gender equality (PDF 72.95KB)
Additional government resources supporting gender equality
NSW Treasury
NSW Government
- NSW Women's Strategy
- NSW Women's Safety Commissioner Strategic Plan 2024-2027
- NSW Women in Construction
- Gender Equity in the NSW public sector
- SafeWork NSW: Respect at Work Strategy
Australian Government
Contact NSW Treasury
For general or media enquiries, complete our online form or visit our Contact us page.
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- Post: GPO Box 5469, Sydney, NSW 2001