WORKPLACE GENDER EQUALITY ACT 2012 - SECT 34 Regulations

WORKPLACE GENDER EQUALITY ACT 2012 - SECT 34

    The Governor - General may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act, prescribing matters:

  (a)   required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed; or

  (b)   necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.

•   This Act requires various employers (relevant employers) to lodge reports each year containing information relating to various gender equality indicators (for example, equal remuneration between women and men).

•   Those reports are available to the public, subject to some exceptions for information that is personal information, information relating to remuneration and information of a kind specified by the Minister. Information contained in those reports may also be used in publishing information for the purposes of showing a relevant employer's performance and progress in achieving gender equality in relation to remuneration for the employer's workforce.

•   There is a Workplace Gender Equality Agency. Its functions include advising and assisting employers in promoting and improving gender equality in the workplace and undertaking research and programs for the purpose of promoting and improving gender equality in the workplace.

•   The CEO has the management of the Agency.

•   The Agency may review a relevant employer's compliance with this Act by seeking further information from the employer.

•   If a relevant employer fails to comply with this Act, the Agency may name the employer in a report given to the Minister or by electronic or other means (for example, on the Agency's website or in a newspaper).

•   The Minister must set gender equality standards in relation to gender equality indicators, relevant employers and reporting periods.

•   The Agency may review a relevant employer's compliance with this Act by seeking further information from the employer. The Agency may do this on a random basis.

•   If a relevant employer fails to comply with this Act, the Agency may name the employer in a report given to the Minister or by electronic or other means (for example, on the Agency's website or in a newspaper).

•   Examples of a failure to comply with this Act are a failure by a relevant employer to lodge a public report on time or to give the Agency information under section   19A.

•   If the Agency proposes to name a relevant employer, the Agency must give the employer notice in writing of the proposal and the reasons for the proposal.

•   Relevant employers failing to comply with this Act may not be eligible to compete for contracts under the Commonwealth procurement framework and may not be eligible for Commonwealth grants or other financial assistance .