Vox Pops from Season 4
Women At Work
Having a favorite podcast episode is like having a favorite child, so officially I loved all conversations equally, and learned so much from all of the guests. Consistently the guests on Women at Work reject that notion that we need to fix the women and instead agree we need to fix systems and cultures. But while we wait for that to happen, we are individually trying to cobble together solutions and need support with that. What I want from this podcast is for you to feel less alone in the juggle. The topics this season ranged from leadership, to why confidence isn’t...
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Khayshie Tilak Ramesh on antiracism and changing the conversation
Women At Work
The first time Kayshie Tilak Ramesh experienced racism was in year three. Later, despite being born in Griffith, NSW and raised in Bendigo, VIC, when she was the multicultural youth commissioner she was asked to share her refugee story. Now, she’s changing systems, one conversation at a time. In this conversation, Khayshie will share her recent experiences representing Australia at the United Nations Commission on the Status of women, how workplaces represent our greatest opportunity for systemic change, and we’ll dig into conversations about meaningful antiracism. Khayshie’s resume is...
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Louise Baxter on the power of positivity at the Starlight Foundation
Women At Work
Louise Baxter had a very successful career in advertising, when she hit a moment of truth, and realised she wanted to do something more meaningful with her life. Fast forward, and Louise has now been CEO of Starlight Foundation for 16 years, proving through action (and results) that a culture of positivity doesn’t just feel good — it drives every business metric that matters. Under her leadership, Starlight has topped the AFR’s MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES list, landed in the Top 20 Great Places to Work, and built a workplace so relentlessly positive that one team member confessed she kept...
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Nareen Young on cultural load and authentic inclusion
Women At Work
Professor Nareen Young is Associate Dean, Indigenous Engagement and Leadership at UTS Business School, and leads the Jumbunna Institute of Indigenous Education and Research. She is one of Australia’s most respected workplace diversity practitioners and thinkers. For 15 years, prior to UTS and Jumbunna, Nareen was the Director of PWC Indigenous Consulting, CEO of Diversity Council Australia and Director of the NSW Working Women's Centre, and was nominated for an Australian Human Rights Award and Medal for her work during that time. Nareen is influenced by both her Indigenous and culturally...
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Sophie McCarthy on financial independence and confidence through action
Women At Work
Sophie McCarthy had some big shoes to fill. Her mother Wendy has been at the forefront of feminist activism for decades, and Sophie picked up the mantle and is making her own huge impact on gender equality. As CEO of McCarthy mentoring, Sophie partners with leading companies to design programs that drive change, engage people and develop leaders. With her upbringing, it’s no surprise that Sophie participates in her own advocacy work, As Chair of Sydney Community Foundation, she helps support the most vulnerable women in Sydney, giving a voice to women who don’t get heard. Sophie’s...
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Leonora Risse: Beyond leaning in
Women At Work
In list of 100 Most Influential People in Gender Policy, you find Jacinda Ardern, former PM of NZ, and you also find today’s guest Dr. Leonora Risse. Leonora is an economist who specialises in gender equality. Her focus is women in the workforce, gender pay gaps, why there aren’t more women in leadership, societal norms that see women doing the majority of care work, gender biases and resistance to equality initiatives. And she VERY much believes that we need to fix the system, NOT the women. With a PhD focused on paid maternity leave in Australia, she is co-founder of the Women in...
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Claire Harvey on why we work (when it’s so hard)
Women At Work
Claire Harvey has opinions. But as Editorial director of The Australian she’s also very good at waiting to hear what you think. With an interest in journalism that started at her parents dining table piled high with newspapers, and the radio and TV news on, she’s gone from copy girl working for free to her current role. Now, she has two kids, leaves work loudly to support mothers and parents following behind her, and has a husband with an equally big career as political staffer. So she knows what it means to find balance, and she knows the compromises it takes to manage having...
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Libby Lyons: The gender super gap and taking risks in your career
Women At Work
If you look at Apolitical’s for 2018 and 2019 you find Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Michelle Obama, the United Nations High Cmomissioner for Human Rights and first female president of Chile, Michelle Bachelet… and today’s guest . Libby started her career as a teacher, working her way all the way to Director of the workplace gender equality agency, to now – Science in Australia gender equity, and is a hugely influential Australian woman. She was featured in the book 200 Women, was awarded Woman of the Decade for Gender Policy by Women Economic Forum in 2019 and has presented multiple...
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Annika Freyer: Men as Allies
Women At Work
I asked ChatGPT, and it told me that men still hold 70-80% of formal positions of power, across most domains, globally. And because of that very power imbalance, women can’t achieve equality on our own. We need men to be involved, and to use the power our current systems grant them, to shift things. And that’s exactly what do, led by today’s guest, CEO . The Coalition aims to achieve gender equality, advance more and diverse women into leadership, and build respectful and inclusive workplaces. But as we know here at Women at Work, you can’t increase women’s representation...
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Amanda Sterling: Fixing Cultures not Women
Women At Work
Spoiler alert: when women leaders leave organisations after having kids, it's not because they "lack confidence" or "opt out." But the reality is, organisations are struggling to recruit and retain women in leadership, and women are struggling to stay. Dr Amanda Sterling's groundbreaking PhD research exposes how the denial of women's physical experiences (pregnancy, breastfeeding, sleep deprivation, menopause) creates impossible conditions for mothers in leadership. As a leadership consultant and neuroscience-trained coach, she's calling bull on trying to "fix the women" and instead shows...
info_outlineAccording to Peter Dutton, the housewives of Australia are at home doing their household budgets. According to Allegra Spender, women are out in the world demanding leadership who don’t expect them to be at home ironing.
Allegra is the Independent MP for Wentworth, focusing on bringing humanity back into politics, climate action, building a kinder, more inclusive society, and making sure those 'women at home doing the budgets' don’t crumble under the weight of the cost of living crisis we’re in right now.
Unsprisingly impressive, Allegra has degrees from Cambridge, University of London, Harvard and Dartmouth, deep corporate and public experience, and she’s doing it all as a mother of three.
We’re heading into a federal election this year, and because I think it’s so important we’re represented by someone who doesn’t think our place is in the kitchen, I’ve invited Allegra to chat with me about her hopes for the future. Full disclosure I campaigned for her last election and will be again this time. But with dual platforms of women and climate change that made her enter Parliament in the first place, I think you'll like this chat even if you don't like her politics.
In today’s chat, we speak about:
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Allegra's mandate to represent the values of her community.
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The lies that get told during election campaigns (and that it's allowed!).
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The concern people have about opportunities, housing security, and cost of living.
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The imperative of climate action after the hottest year on record, and Australia's energy transition.
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Her belief (like RGB) that women should be equally represented in Parliament and involved in national decision-making.
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Her war stories in politics - and some of the places she's been able to drive significant change,
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How she balances work, travel and family, and building her kids' independence.
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Her belief that it's ok to care about your career, and that doesn't mean you don't also care about your kids.
I am so excited to be learning from her today, I hope you enjoy this episode with Allegra Spender.