The Albanese Government is delivering on its promise to give the Fair Work Commission more power and expertise to address the gender pay gap.
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Tony Burke today announced the appointment of three new FWC Expert Panel Members, two of whom have significant expertise in gender pay equity.
Professor Marion Baird AO and Dr Leonora Risse bring extensive experience in pay equity and will bolster the Commission's capacity to properly consider the gender pay gap when making decisions. They also have broad knowledge and experience across social policy, workplace relations and economics.
Their appointment comes after the Government's Secure Jobs, Better Pay laws established two new expert panels within the FWC - one focused on gender pay equity and another focused on the care and community sector.
These panels are officially established today.
Senior Treasury economist Mark Cully has also been appointed an Expert Panel Member, bringing with him a wealth of experience in economics and workplace relations.
Dr Risse, Professor Baird and Mr Cully have been appointed for 5-year terms, commencing this month. I am confident all three will exercise their duties thoughtfully and diligently.
The Albanese Government is committed to a fair, just, transparent and balanced Commission.
Its work will be more important than ever as we progress ambitious workplace relations reforms to lift wages, close the gender pay gap, improve job security and close the loopholes undermining pay and conditions.
Biographies:
Professor Marion Baird AO is Professor of Gender and Employment Relations at the University of Sydney Business School. Professor Board has worked in the Discipline of Work and Organisations Studies at the University of Sydney since 1997 and is a board member of the Australian APEC Study Centre. Professor Baird has a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) and a PhD in Industrial Relations from the University of Sydney.
Dr Leonora Risse is a Senior Lecturer in Economics at RMIT University. Dr Risse is a Research Fellow with the Women's Leadership Institute Australia, and has been a Research Fellow with the Women and Public Policy Program at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a Senior Research Economist with the Productivity Commission. Dr Risse has a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Economics (Hons) and a PhD in Economics from the University of Queensland.
Mr Mark Cully is recently retired from the Australian Public Service, having been Head, Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy Division in the Department of the Treasury. Mr Cully has also served as Head of the Deregulation Taskforce and Chief Economist of both the Department of Industry and the Department of Immigration. Mr Cully has a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) from the University of Adelaide and a Master of Arts in Industrial Relations (with Distinction) from the University of Warwick.
