Sex Discrimination Commissioner and Commissioner responsible for Age Discrimination, Elizabeth Broderick will discuss the importance of flexible working arrangements when she speaks at a UQ event on Monday.
To be held at the UQ Library on November 24, the lecture is the latest in the Senior Women Seminar Series, which invites prominent women from the higher education and other sectors to discuss issues pertinent to women’s progression in employment.
“We welcome Commissioner Broderick and look forward to hearing her experiences in improving the status of women within an organisational and national context,” Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Michael Keniger said.
The Commissioner will discuss her experience in introducing flexible working arrangements at one of Australia’s most prominent law firms, and also the findings of a recent listening tour across the country.
Prior to taking up the Commissioner’s role, Ms Broderick was a partner at Blake Dawson Waldron and named the 2001/2 Telstra NSW Business Woman of the Year and Australian Corporate Business Woman of the Year.
The Senior Women Seminar Series started in 2005, with previous speakers including Professor Margaret Gardner (Vice-Chancellor, RMIT), Professor Di McCarthy (CEO of the Royal Society of New Zealand) and Ms Julie Kinross (Deputy Director-General Policy, Department of Tourism, Fair Trading and Wine Industry Development).
The University of Queensland has been recognised at national level for its equity initiatives, which include 26 weeks paid parental leave for eligible staff, a range of fellowships and scholarships for women and a range of flexible work options.
In recent years, the University has also successfully boosted the number of women occupying senior academic and general staff positions and increased the percentage of staff returning from maternity leave.
“UQ boasts a range of conditions and programs to promote the progression of women. In recognition of this, we have been cited as an Employer of Choice for Women for seven consecutive years,” Professor Keniger said.
“We understand, however, that there is more improvement to be made, and are committed to continually improving the status of women.”
Commissioner Broderick will speak on November 24 at 10.45am in the Library Conference Room, Duhig Building, St Lucia.
Media: Marnie King from the UQ Equity Office (07 3365 3052, m.m.king@uq.edu.au) or Cameron Pegg at UQ Communications (07 3365 2049, c.pegg@uq.edu.au)
