Transforming the Australian WGEA into a Full Service Commission
2X Coworking’s mission is to support Australia’s working women to claim their full worth. We have create a separate, not-for-profit organisation, “Parity Plus” that cheekily suggests that Australian women should ask for 20% more, after decades of being short-changed in terms of pay & perks, working conditions, and career development that have been offered to our male coworkers!
Since Australia’s peak body for equality for working women is the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, Parity Plus has identified the possibilities presented by having the Agency upgraded to a full service Commission.
Transforming the WGEA into a full-service commission is a critical investment in gender equality and economic growth. By increasing funding and empowering the agency to enforce change, Australia can build a more equitable workplace for all women while addressing systemic barriers that have persisted for decades.
Key Initiative
The Importance of Public Support
Public opinion is a powerful force for influencing policymakers and driving systemic change. Building widespread awareness and encouraging meaningful participation ensures that the campaign to transform the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) into a full-service Australian Gender Equality Commission (AGEC) becomes an unstoppable movement.
The key learning from the BBC article It Only Takes 3.5% of People to Change the World is that nonviolent movements succeed when at least 3.5% of the population takes sustained, meaningful action. In the Australian context, this translates to approximately 900,000 people actively engaging in the cause.
While this might seem ambitious, , it underscores that profound societal shifts don’t require majority participation—just a committed minority actively working for change. A core group of dedicated individuals can shift societal norms and influence policymakers. By offering diverse ways for people to contribute, the campaign can engage Australians across all demographics and capacity levels.
This insight emphasizes the importance of engagement in sustained, nonviolent action. Movements like March 4 Justice have already demonstrated the power of mobilizing tens of thousands. Expanding this momentum to reach 3.5% through a broad range of participation levels—ranging from attending protests to engaging in smaller, ongoing actions—could render the push for a Gender Equality Commission unstoppable.