Sex Discrimination Commissioner

Ms Elizabeth Broderick

Sex Discrimination Commissioner and Commissioner responsible for Age Discrimination

Elizabeth Broderick was appointed for a five year term as Sex Discrimination Commissioner in September 2007. She was also the Commissioner responsible for Age Discrimination from September 2007 until July 2011.

During her term, she has been committed to improving gender equality through her advocacy in preventing violence against women and sexual harassment, improving lifetime economic security for women, balancing paid work and unpaid caring responsibilities, promoting women’s representation in leadership and strengthening gender equality laws, monitoring and agencies.

Elizabeth has been a key advocate for Australia’s national paid parental leave scheme, and domestic violence reform. She has championed the changes to the ASX Corporate Governance Principles to increase the number of women at decision making level.  She has worked with the Australian Government to strengthen gender equality laws and agencies.

Elizabeth represents Australia in the United Nations every year and has facilitated the attendance of marginalized Australian women as key advocates to address issues such as alcohol abuse and domestic violence.

In April 2011, the Government appointed Elizabeth, as Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner, to lead the Commission’s Review into the Treatment of Women in the Australian Defence Force Academy and the Australian Defence Force. She handed down her Report for Phase One of the Review on 3 November 2011.

Elizabeth is a member of the World Bank’s Advisory Council on Gender and Development, a member of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Advisory Board, the Vic Health Advisory Board and the ANU Centre for Public and International Law.  

Prior to her appointment, Elizabeth was a partner and board member at Blake Dawson. She developed the firm’s business case for flexibility in the workplace. Her efforts contributed to creating a workplace where more than 20 percent of the law firm’s workforce now uses flexible work arrangements.

Elizabeth is married and has two young children.