Working for Women Research Partnership – research themes announced

The Working for Women Research Partnership, which brings together a national team of researchers and the Office for Women, released its five-year Research Agenda on 3 October 2025. The Agenda provides details on the research team, data collection methods and outputs, and the themes that will guide the Partnership’s research focus over the next 5 years.

Instrument of appointment of Mr Matt Yannopoulos PSM

Public Service (Secretary of the Department of Finance) Appointment 2025

I, the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council and under subsection 58(1) of the Public Service Act 1999, appoint Mr Matthew Yannopoulos PSM as the Secretary of the Department of Finance for a period of five years commencing on 29 September 2025.

Dated 18 September 2025

Signature of Sam Mostyn AC]

Sam Mostyn AC
Governor-General

Nominate an Australian public servant for the Public Service Medal

Do you know a public servant who has given outstanding service for the public, their clients or their team? Nominate them for a Public Service Medal (PSM).

The PSM recognises excellence across the public service and is awarded twice a year by the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. Successful nominations will be announced in The King’s Birthday 2026 Honours List.

Australian Government response to the Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee Report: Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Bill 2024

Introduction

On 21 November 2024, the Senate referred an inquiry into the Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Bill 2024 to the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee (the Committee).

The Committee received 31 submissions and a Committee hearing was held on 22 January 2025.

On 30 January 2025, the Committee tabled its report titled Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Bill 2024.

Secretaries Board communique: 17 September 2025

Strategic Outlook

The Board discussed government priorities, strategic issues and emerging risks.

The Board received an update on geostrategic issues from Ms Jan Adams AO PSM, Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Mr Greg Moriarty AO, Secretary, Department of Defence.

The Board received an economic and budget update from Mr Richard Windeyer, Acting Secretary, Department of Finance, and Ms Jenny Wilkinson PSM, Secretary, Department of the Treasury.

Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve

On 24 April 2025, the Hon Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia, committed to establish a Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve to maximise the strategic value of Australia’s critical minerals.

The government allocated $1.2 billion to establish the reserve in the 2025-26 Federal Budget. The reserve is expected to be operational in the second half of 2026.

Critical minerals and rare earths are essential inputs to the modern and future economy – underpinning the energy transition, high tech manufacturing, AI and the digital economy.

Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve Taskforce

A taskforce has been established in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to advise government on the reserve design. The taskforce reports jointly to the Prime Minister and the Minister for Resources.

The taskforce will consult with critical minerals industry associations and businesses, state and territory governments, international partners and other interested stakeholders.

Contact the taskforce

To contact the taskforce, email CMSRTaskforce@pmc.gov.au

Further information

More information on critical minerals is available:

Working for Women Research Partnership

The Working for Women Research Partnership (the Partnership) brings together the Australian Government Office for Women with leading researchers from three Australian Universities. The Partnership will build knowledge and identify practical solutions to drive women’s economic equality. The Partnership supports implementation of Working for Women: A Strategy for Gender Equality.

The Partnership gathers data on the experiences of Australian workers and reports insights that will guide policy and inform meaningful change.

The Partnership collects data through:

  • a nationally representative survey of approximately 5,000 Australian workers
  • booster samples to ensure meaningful insights can be gained from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, LGBTQI+ and migrant workers
  • focus groups involving around 400 workers per year.

The Partnership is delivered by a consortium led by the Australian Centre for Gender Equality and Inclusion @ Work at the University Sydney, in collaboration with the Centre for Indigenous People and Work (University of Technology Sydney), and the University of Melbourne.

The Working for Women Research Partnership – Research Agenda sets out the Partnership’s objectives, principles, partner organisations and researchers, data collection methods, and planned research themes.

The Partnership commenced in 2025 and is funded to continue to 2030.

Working for Women Research Partnership – Research Agenda

Objectives of the Research Partnership

The Working for Women Research Partnership (the Partnership) brings together a national team of interdisciplinary researchers with deep expertise in the gendered dynamics of working life, in collaboration with the Australian Government Office for Women. The Partnership will run for five years from 2025 - 2030, and aims to build the robust evidence base needed to support implementation of Working for Women: A Strategy for Gender Equality (the Strategy).

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