Together for good – the client challenge
The Gender Equality Act 2020 (Vic) (the Act) aims to improve gender equality in Victorian communities and public sector workplaces. The Act commenced on 31 March 2021. Section 52 of the Act outlines that the Minister for Women must cause a review to be conducted of the first four years of operation of the Act. Cube Group was engaged by the Office for Women (OFW) at the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) to conduct this review.
The Act is a nation-leading reform designed to advance workplace gender equality, strengthen gender-responsive policy and service delivery, and embed consideration of intersectionality across the Victorian public sector, local government and universities. Recognising that systemic gender equality reform is a long-term process, the review examined early progress towards the Act’s objectives during a period marked by significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, fiscal constraints and increasing scrutiny of diversity and inclusion initiatives globally.
Bringing the right thinking and people to the table
Cube Group was engaged to undertake the independent statutory review of the Act’s first four years of operation. The review examined the implementation and effectiveness of the Act since its introduction.
Using a mixed-methods approach, we designed and applied a detailed review framework, undertook a survey of 254 duty holders, conducted 19 interviews with government representatives, gender equality organisations, unions, the Commissioner for Gender Equality in the Public Sector and duty holder organisations, and analysed a broad range of legislative, policy and administrative materials.
Our work examined progress toward workplace gender equality, organisational and cultural change, implementation of gender impact assessments and gender equality action plans, operational efficiency, and opportunities to strengthen the Act’s future impact.
Sectors
Services
The positive change we delivered
The review found strong evidence that the Act has established important foundations for long-term gender equality reform across Victoria. Over its first four years, the legislation has helped move gender equality from the margins to the mainstream of public administration, creating greater organisational accountability, awareness and action. Our review highlighted that the Act has driven the creation of Australia’s most comprehensive public sector gender equality dataset, enabling transparent measurement of progress and informed decision-making. The review also identified encouraging evidence of organisational and cultural change, stronger leadership engagement, increased focus on gender-responsive decision-making, and the emergence of innovative practices across sectors. Importantly, it recognised the Act’s pioneering inclusion of intersectionality and its influence beyond Victoria.
Looking ahead, our recommendations focused on opportunities to continue strengthening the Act by building capability in gender impact assessments and intersectional practice, streamlining reporting requirements, sharing good practice, and adopting more proportionate and risk-based approaches to implementation. These recommendations provide a practical pathway to build on the solid foundations established during the first four years and accelerate progress toward more equitable outcomes for Victorian communities and workplaces.
The review report was tabled in the Victorian Parliament on 27 August 2026 and is published here:
