Queensland Police Union Journal

Women’s Advisory Committee Overview
It is the Union’s role to break down
those barriers within the Service and
to be a shining example of support for
women in leadership.
The first way to become actively
involved in the Union is to attend
branch meetings to discuss the issues.
We are all aware of the challenges
that operational police face in
attending branch meetings due to
work and family commitments, but
it is participation—and the education
provided through that participation—
which will increase involvement.
So I challenge each and every male
to make a commitment that you will
endeavour to bring a female Union
member with you to your next branch
meeting.
Sit with that member, provide her with
information about the issues, and ask
for her feedback. Remind her that her
opinion is important, and remember
that a little encouragement goes a
long way.
Featherstone for the development of
these brochures.
In the long term, the QPU WAC would
like to sponsor the development of
‘Lunch and Learn’ workshops.
These workshops would be topical
and cover a variety of areas including
industrial relations, human resources,
legal, and workplace health and safety,
along with Union issues affecting both
male and female QPU members. We
hope the ‘Lunch and Learn’ workshops
will be conducted around the state.
With the approval of the QPU
Executive, the QPU WAC would
also like to develop an ‘Advocacy
and Communicating with Influence’
workshop for female branch officials
and members of the Women’s
Advisory Committee.
Educated, healthy, and empowered
women drive development and
change faster. Investment in women’s
potential, empowerment, well-being,
participation and leadership is needed.
committed and motivated men and
women of the Union.
The Women’s Advisory Committee
asks that all Union affiliates make
a commitment that this Union will
“The Women’s
Advisory Committee
asks that all Union
affiliates make a
commitment that this
Union will endeavour
each and every day
to create a culture
of inclusion and
equality.”
endeavour each and every day to
create a culture of inclusion and
equality, and that we work together
to develop the numbers of female
branch officials who will be educated,
motivated, and committed to the QPU
and its members.
It has been identified academically
that access to education and training is
a gateway to further opportunities and
greater choice. Particularly for women,
education and training enhances
equity and mobility and improves
access to leadership roles.
“It is time for women to stand up and make
a change in this Union by becoming more
involved at branch meetings, nominating for
branch official positions, and perhaps one day
sitting on the QPU Executive!”
As part of the QPU WAC Strategic
Business plan now under development,
the committee will outline a broader
range of educational approaches
that will encourage increased female
involvement within the Union
movement by developing skills and
attitudes of QPU members so that they
can encourage their female colleagues
to contribute meaningfully, effectively,
and equitably to work processes and
outcomes both within the workplace
and in the Union.
Already, the QPU WAC has developed
HR awareness brochures in the
areas of pregnancy and part time
arrangements. A special thanks
to Aasha Venning and Rosemary
It is with initiatives such as these that
the Women’s Advisory Committee
hopes to increase female involvement
within the Union, to advance gender
equality and help to ensure a fair and
true representation of females within
the Union.
There are currently some vacancies for
QPU branch delegate positions around
the state. This means that some areas
are without an elected and trained
Union delegate providing support for
members.
We as current branch delegates and
Executive members need to work
together to ensure that this Union has
100% of all branch positions filled with
On behalf of the QPU Women’s
Advisory Committee, I would like
to thank Virginia Dixon for all her
hard work and commitment as the
committee’s driving force.
And finally, I would like to acknowledge
the work of this committee and the
QPU staff who support us.
The time for talking about what to do
is over. It is now time for action, and
time for women to stand up and make
a change in this Union by becoming
more involved at branch meetings,
nominating for branch official
positions, and perhaps one day sitting
on the QPU Executive!
72
Queensland Police Union Journal June 2013