Diversity in Australian businesses honoured at Awards night

Sir Bob Geldof made an inspiring speech at the Diversity@Work awards held at the Crown Towers in Melbourne last week. Organisations across the country were recognised for their contribution to diversity, and the inclusion of all Australians into the workforce.

Employment and inclusion awards were presented in categories of
• Indigenous
• People with Disability
• Mature-Aged
• Youth
• Work/Life Balance
• Women in Leadership
• Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual, Transgender, Intersex
• Culturally and Linguistically Diverse

Along with Champion awards for Diversity and Inclusion, at individual and organisational level.

JobAccess (part of the WorkFocus Group of companies) along with DEEWR, were one of the many sponsors of the awards. Therese Campbell, WorkFocus Group Director, presented Connect East, who won the award for Work Life Balance (Small to Medium Category).

The Minister for Employment Participation, Brendan O’Connor, was another notable speaker, who reconfirmed the importance of diversity and inclusion in Australia and for the Australian people. In his speech, MP O’Connor said, “There is also under representation of people with disability in our workplaces despite there being more than two and half million Australians of a working age with disability. Labour force participation rates for this group were 53 per cent in 2003 compared to 81 per cent for people without a disability”.

Other major winners on the night included University of WA, Brisbane City Council, Australia Post, IBM Australia, Astro Alloys (Aust) Pty Ltd, Swinburne University of Technology, Peregrine Corporation (Large).

For more information on the JobAccess advisory service please call 1800 464 800 or visit www.jobaccess.gov.au.

For more information on the Diversity@Work awards, visit www.diversityatwork.com.au/awards