Equity & Diversity Annual Report – 2011 Foreword

The Reserve Bank aims to ensure that all staff are treated with dignity and respect and that they experience equal opportunity throughout their career in the Bank. It does so by implementing policies, guidelines and programs that support equity and diversity in the workplace, and by ensuring that staff are aware of their rights, responsibilities and opportunities.

As foreshadowed in the Bank's Diversity Plan 2009–2011, considerable effort was expended over the past year in achieving a better understanding of diversity-related issues relating to work/life balance, gender, age, disability, indigenous Australians and race-ethnicity. This analysis is providing an important platform for our deliberations about possible changes to equity and diversity policies over the coming year and priorities for the Diversity Plan 2012–2014.

Going forward, the challenge for the Equity and Diversity Policy Committee will be to ensure that its Diversity Plan for 2012–2014 continues to satisfy the Bank's legislative responsibilities and also meets the emerging equity and diversity-related needs of its staff.

Keith Hall
Chairperson
Equity & Diversity Policy Committee