why has diversity in the work place been given so much attention lately?

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity (HEROC) web site is a good place to start your research for

the major assignment

In particular have a look at their Our Work page

HREOC :Willing to Work: National Inquiry into Employment Discrimination against Older Australians

and Australians with Disability

Link: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/discussion-paper-

age.pdf

Abstract

This Paper is the one of two Issues Papers for the Willing to Work: National Inquiry into Employment

Discrimination against Older Australians and Australians with Disability. This paper focuses on issues

facing older Australians, while the other focuses on issues facing persons with disability. Each paper

recognises the distinct challenges and resulting impacts experienced by older Australians and

Australians with disability in the workforce, and the solutions needed to address employment

discrimination

Click on the link for an interesting article on Gender Equality from the Sydney Morning Herald

http://www.smh.com.au/business/-gn847v.html

A Journal article Still working for the man? Women’s employment experiences in Australia since

1950

Link

http://www98.griffith.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/handle/10072/36422/66060_1.pdf?sequence=1%C

2%A0

Abstract

This article tackles the question of what is the ‘good life’ for women in employment in Australia

through an examination of national legislation and policies. Since 1950 what has been seen as the

good life has changed dramatically. The article outlines three phases of change: in the 1950s and

1960s men were regarded as the wage earners and women the homemakers, with women barred

from some jobs and paid less than men; in the 1970s legislation and equal pay cases removed overt

discrimination against women; from the mid 1980s the complexity of achieving equality for women

at work was recognised through equal opportunity legislation, work and family policies and equal

pay inquiries. In 2010 the ‘good life’ for women is having the same opportunities and outcomes in

employment as men. While policy provisions support this, the reality of achieving this is difficult. So

in 2010 many women are still ‘working for the man’ in the context that most managers are men.

Journal article MANDARINS, MINISTERS AND THE BAR ON MARRIED WOMEN

Link https://economics.adelaide.edu.au/research/papers/doc/wp2003-08.pdf

Abstract

Until November 1966 clauses in the Public Service Act prevented married women from being

permanent employees in the Commonwealth Public Service (or in State public services outside of

NSW). Examination of National Archives records reveals that removal of the Marriage Bar was a

much more complicated process than hitherto generally realised. Study of the stuttering and

convoluted pursuit of its removal over an eight year period through two

Inter-Departmental Committees, a Permanent Heads Committee, a Cabinet Committee and through

three formal Submissions to Cabinet itself casts an interesting light on the interface between the

varying goals of centralized public sector management and the political criteria and ambitions of its

political masters. In this period before second wave feminism reached Australia organised labour

had various axes to grind, often hidden, sometimes conflicting. At

all times macro-economic currents were at least as persuasive as social pre-conditioning.

Current media releases by the Work Place gender Equality Agency available at

https://www.wgea.gov.au/news-and-media/media-releases

Report Gender Equality Insights 2016

Link

https://www.wgea.gov.au/sites/default/files/BCEC_WGEA_Gender_Pay_Equity_Insights_2016_Rep

ort.pdf

Abstract

The persistent gender pay gap is an economic, political and social issue. Gender pay gaps do not

always signal direct discrimination, but remain problematic for a number of reasons. They represent

poorer outcomes for women in terms of economic and personal freedoms; lost human capital

potential and investment; and an impairment of economic growth for a nation looking to remain

competitive on a global scale.