How a gender study could help the NT reach its budget goals

A first-of-its-kind study series led by Charles Darwin University (CDU) is set to put the spotlight on gender equity and diversity and may help the Northern Territory reach its financial goals.

CDU Northern Institute Associate Professor Andrew Taylor said the unique study series put gender equity and diversity firmly into the spotlight as a critical economic building block, particularly in improving the workplace productivity. 

Comprised of five papers, the series’ first volume focuses on gender equity and diversity in male-dominated industries in the NT, attracting girls to STEM careers in schools, Indigenous women’s employment experiences in the NT’s large mines, the Territory’s LGBTQ+ community, and the role of gender in population retention.

The deep dive into how the NT relates to these equity concerns is an important demonstration of how social and economic issues – and their solutions – go hand in hand.

“Strengthening the economy is a massive undertaking and we tend to focus on the hard factors like job vacancies, gross state product, unemployment rates, and industry,” Associate Professor Taylor said.

“However, there’s merit in scaling things back and considering who we are as a society and where improving community tolerance and connection could take us.

“That’s where it has to start – you can't grow your economy until you have greater community connection, tolerance and togetherness.”

Associate Professor Taylor, who co-edited the series alongside colleague Professor Maneka Jayasinghe, said it was the first time the NT had been the focus of a gender and diversity study series.

He said it was not uncommon for nationally-produced data on similar topics to include limited details about the NT, often relying on one or two figures to convey the social landscape of the fourth most sparsely populated subnational jurisdiction in the world – the other three being frozen landscapes. 

“This series was written to examine the context of the Northern Territory and considers the economic, social, demographic, geographic factors unique to the region,” Associate Professor Taylor said.

“It takes the question, ‘what does this mean specifically for the NT?’ and makes a range of recommendations for policymakers based on the answer.

Northern Territory Insights: Gender equity and diversity in focus (Volume 1) was commissioned by the Northern Territory Government’s Office of Gender Equity and Diversity and designed to be in easy-read format.

The papers were authored by academics at CDU and Charles Sturt University.