The federal government has launched a new portal it hopes will help increase gender equality and diversity on government-owned agricultural boards.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Portfolio Boards Register was created for those qualified and interested in sitting on one of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry's 18 boards, but removed from the usual pathways and connections to gain nomination.
Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said a seat on a portfolio board was a ticket to help set the strategic direction of an industry and shape the future of agriculture.
"Since taking up my role as Agriculture Minister, I've met people from all walks of life who work to create more sustainable, productive and profitable food and fibre industries," he said.
"These individuals have shared wonderful insights into topics such as promoting better resource management practices, innovation, sovereign capability, and improved access to international markets.
"It would be great to see this breadth of the public and the industry reflected in the portfolio boards."
The initiative is aimed at groups currently underrepresented at an executive decision-making level in agriculture, including women, young people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, those with a disability and first- and second-generation Australians.
The DAFF portfolio boards reflect the needs of the industry, from primary production to research and development corporations to drought preparedness across food and fibre.
They include AgriFutures Australia, the Wine Australia Board, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority Commission, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, the Cotton Research and Development Corporation and Fisheries Research and Development Corporation.
The Future Drought Fund Consultative Committee, the Grains Reseach and Development Corporation, National Fishing Advisory Council and the Regional Investment Corporation Board are also administered by DAFF.
As with most other sectors of the economy, gender equality at executive level in Australian agriculture has been a keenly debated topic for several years.
Many organisations and individuals worked hard for years to clear pathways for women into leadership roles and many companies and entities are today proudly flying the flag for gender equality.
In fact, women currently hold powerful roles in several industry representation groups, including Victorian Farmers Federation president Emma Germano, AgForce general president Georgie Somerset and NSW Farmers chief executive Annabel Johnson.
While Fiona Simson's much-lauded stint as the first female president of the National Farmers Federation ended last year.
Meanwhile, some commodity groups have also elevated women to key positions in recent years, including the appointment of Shona Gawel as GrainGrowers CEO last February and Bonnie Skinner as Sheep Producers Australia CEO in 2022.
However, for every trailblazing company or representative body boasting 50-50 board splits on a gender basis, or better, many others continue to report being heavily male-dominated at the pointy end of executive decision-making.
Mr Watt said that, given the broad cross-section of topics the DAFF boards look after, "we're hoping to see a wider range of Australians putting their hands up.".
"This includes more women, more young people and more indigenous Australians," he said.
