Women's Agenda - News for professional women and female entrepreneurs

A cockatoo on an empty seat and a crossbench honouring Helen Haines. Parliament resumes

Helen Haines asked for kindness over hate. One week after a devastating attack on her, Zali Steggall, Monique Ryan and the crossbench gave it back to her in the chamber.

Latest news

Queensland’s new child safety and DV minister Amanda Stoker has a controversial record on women’s rights

Victoria doubles funding for women-founded startups with $10 million Alice Anderson Fund boost

NSW government backtracks on gender-neutral breastfeeding policy after Kellie Sloane criticism

‘It’s pretty toxic… but just a little, I want to be like that’: what young men think of manosphere content

How much autonomy do women actually have when giving birth?

How two sisters in law launched a wine brand with no winery, vineyard or capital

Australia has let abuse of its representatives become ‘part of the job’ – and women bear the brunt

Helen Haines lost her legs. The media mourns Brendan Nugent’s lost potential.

Podcast: Why it’s time to quit being nice

Soapbox

Pregnancy discrimination is costing Australia. Three reforms could help change that.

Pregnancy discrimination continues to push women out of work, prompting calls for stronger penalties, faster justice and clearer workplace rights.

News & Views

The Lucky Country is now the Hungry Country as food insecurity rises. Single parents are hit hardest

Foodbank Australia’s 2026 report finds one in three households face food insecurity, with single-parent families particularly affected.

Business

From banking to haircare: How Renee Vallender built The Straightening Salon

Like so many women, becoming a mum prompted Renee Vallender to rethink her career and the kind of life she wanted to build.

News & Views

How much autonomy do women actually have when giving birth?

Women giving birth have the right to make informed decisions about their care, refuse unwanted interventions and be treated with respect.

News & Views

How two sisters in law launched a wine brand with no winery, vineyard or capital

Seeing Double Wine Co founders Kate Day and Nina Stocker built a successful wine business through industry connections and adaptability.

News & Views

Australia has let abuse of its representatives become ‘part of the job’ – and women bear the brunt

Abuse against Australian politicians is becoming normalised, affecting how elected representatives engage with communities and carry out their roles.

Helen Haines lost her legs. The media mourns Brendan Nugent’s lost potential.

“Hormonal” isn’t a diagnosis: Why women’s midlife mental health keeps getting missed

Man armed with nunchucks arrested after allegedly making threats at WA MP Hannah Beazley’s electorate office

Phil Haines and Sam Mostyn had every right to choose anger. They chose something harder

Women are advised by AI to prioritise flexibility, while men are pushed towards higher salaries

A political pressure cooker fed by media, boosted by algorithms. Can we be better than this?

Australia’s digital duty of care is a real advance for women. Two loopholes could undo it

A McKinsey partner called the glass cliff ‘playing the victim’. My career says otherwise

We need more people like Helen Haines in Parliament. This horrific attack can’t deter my generation from putting our hands up

Too many pregnant women face ‘sham’ redundancies. A new report reveals how it happens

Marc Fennell on boys, the manosphere and why parents can’t solve this crisis alone

73,700 part-time jobs just disappeared. They’re the jobs solo mums rely on

Mary Coustas on menopause and why sometimes, you just have to laugh

The problem isn’t how little women wear. It’s how much misogyny we tolerate.

As Helen Haines fights for her life, the warnings women in politics have been making become painfully clear

Women can still be sacked in religious schools for getting divorced or falling pregnant through IVF. It’s time to change the law

‘She coulda left’: The powerful artwork exposing the excuses used to minimise violence against women

After losing my baby, this is what helped me feel less alone

Business

From banking to haircare: How Renee Vallender built The Straightening Salon

News & Views

Women are advised by AI to prioritise flexibility, while men are pushed towards higher salaries

News & Views

Too many pregnant women face ‘sham’ redundancies. A new report reveals how it happens

Join Women’s Agenda as a member and help amplify women’s voices, drive real change, and put a vital gender lens on the news.

Become a Member

From our Partners

All partner content

Infertility and miscarriage left Sharissa in a dark place. Connection helped her keep going

Fixing motherhood loneliness is about more than finding a ‘village’: These policy shifts could help

After her daughter’s death, Rowena faced an impossible decision about organ donation

THE CONNECTIONS HUB

The Connections Hub is a dedicated space exploring loneliness and how women are building meaningful connections in today’s social climate.

Visit Page

THE BUSINESS HUB

The Business Hub spotlights the realities, challenges and opportunities facing women leading small and medium businesses across the country.

Visit Page

THE SAFETY IN NUMBERS HUB

Safety in Numbers is our dedicated platform, designed to humanise global gender data and showcase the impact of collective leadership.

Visit Page

podcasts

Podcast: Why it’s time to quit being nice

Special guest Amy Remeikis joins the Women’s Agenda Podcast to talk through her new book, Screw Nice.

All podcasts

Events For Women

All Events For Women

event

Micro-credential – Work Effectively in Autonomous Environments

01 Sep 26

Learn how automation and emerging technologies are changing the workplace, with a flexible online course you can complete in just 2–3 hours.

event

The IT Workforce in the Age of AI

05 Nov 26

Join RMIT and Professionals Australia to explore how IT roles, skills and career pathways could change over the next 10 to 15 years.

event

The Power We Bring: Migrant Women and Australia’s Economy

05 Nov 26

Join migrant women, leaders and allies for an evening celebrating representation, leadership and diverse perspectives across Australian workplaces.

A cockatoo on an empty seat and a crossbench honouring Helen Haines. Parliament resumes

Latest news

Queensland’s new child safety and DV minister Amanda Stoker has a controversial record on women’s rights

Victoria doubles funding for women-founded startups with $10 million Alice Anderson Fund boost

NSW government backtracks on gender-neutral breastfeeding policy after Kellie Sloane criticism

‘It’s pretty toxic… but just a little, I want to be like that’: what young men think of manosphere content

How much autonomy do women actually have when giving birth?

How two sisters in law launched a wine brand with no winery, vineyard or capital

Australia has let abuse of its representatives become ‘part of the job’ – and women bear the brunt

Helen Haines lost her legs. The media mourns Brendan Nugent’s lost potential.

Podcast: Why it’s time to quit being nice

Pregnancy discrimination is costing Australia. Three reforms could help change that.

The Lucky Country is now the Hungry Country as food insecurity rises. Single parents are hit hardest

From banking to haircare: How Renee Vallender built The Straightening Salon

How much autonomy do women actually have when giving birth?

How two sisters in law launched a wine brand with no winery, vineyard or capital

Australia has let abuse of its representatives become ‘part of the job’ – and women bear the brunt

Helen Haines lost her legs. The media mourns Brendan Nugent’s lost potential.

“Hormonal” isn’t a diagnosis: Why women’s midlife mental health keeps getting missed

Man armed with nunchucks arrested after allegedly making threats at WA MP Hannah Beazley’s electorate office

Phil Haines and Sam Mostyn had every right to choose anger. They chose something harder

Women are advised by AI to prioritise flexibility, while men are pushed towards higher salaries

A political pressure cooker fed by media, boosted by algorithms. Can we be better than this?

Australia’s digital duty of care is a real advance for women. Two loopholes could undo it

A McKinsey partner called the glass cliff ‘playing the victim’. My career says otherwise

We need more people like Helen Haines in Parliament. This horrific attack can’t deter my generation from putting our hands up

Too many pregnant women face ‘sham’ redundancies. A new report reveals how it happens

Marc Fennell on boys, the manosphere and why parents can’t solve this crisis alone

73,700 part-time jobs just disappeared. They’re the jobs solo mums rely on

Mary Coustas on menopause and why sometimes, you just have to laugh

The problem isn’t how little women wear. It’s how much misogyny we tolerate.

As Helen Haines fights for her life, the warnings women in politics have been making become painfully clear

Women can still be sacked in religious schools for getting divorced or falling pregnant through IVF. It’s time to change the law

‘She coulda left’: The powerful artwork exposing the excuses used to minimise violence against women

After losing my baby, this is what helped me feel less alone

From banking to haircare: How Renee Vallender built The Straightening Salon

Women are advised by AI to prioritise flexibility, while men are pushed towards higher salaries

Too many pregnant women face ‘sham’ redundancies. A new report reveals how it happens

From our Partners

Infertility and miscarriage left Sharissa in a dark place. Connection helped her keep going

Fixing motherhood loneliness is about more than finding a ‘village’: These policy shifts could help

After her daughter’s death, Rowena faced an impossible decision about organ donation

Podcast: Why it’s time to quit being nice

Events For Women

Micro-credential – Work Effectively in Autonomous Environments

The IT Workforce in the Age of AI

The Power We Bring: Migrant Women and Australia’s Economy

Stay Smart!

Stay Smart!

Get Women’s Agenda in your inbox