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 will be operational from the second half of 2026.

Critical minerals are essential inputs to the modern economy. They underpin defence materiel, high tech manufacturing, and the energy transition.

Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve Taskforce

A taskforce was established in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to support the development of the reserve. 

On 8 December 2025, the taskforce moved to the Department of Industry, Science and Resources. 

To contact the taskforce, email CMSRTaskforce@industry.gov.au. The taskforce welcomes written views from interested stakeholders.

Further information

More information on critical minerals is available on the Department of Industry Science and Resources website:

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).

Secretaries Board communique: 20 August 2025

Strategic outlook

The Board discussed government decisions, priorities, emerging risks and strategic issues and noted the Government’s focus is on delivery during its second term.

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 Mr Damien White, Deputy Secretary, Department of the Treasury.

National Flag Day: A symbol of unity, respect and strength

On 3 September each year, we celebrate Australian National Flag Day by recognising the first time the flag was flown, on 3 September 1901. Known as the Commonwealth blue ensign, it became formally recognised as the Australian National Flag in 1953. 

Each year on Australia Day, the Australian National Flag is displayed alongside the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags to reflect and celebrate the importance of our national day. These flags signify our nation’s heritage, values and shared identity.

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