The Women's Agenda Podcast

On today's ep, Tarla Lambert-Patel speaks with award-winning journalist, presenter, and all-around powerhouse, Jan Fran!  You might know Jan from her sharp political commentary, her work on The Feed, or her no-nonsense approach to breaking down the news. And now, she’s back with another compelling project—Australia and Unofficial History, a gripping new SBS docu-series that revisits pivotal social and political moments from the 1970s to today—events that have shaped the way we think, vote, and see ourselves as a nation. Jan shares more on the series, why these stories matter, and how history continues to shape the present.

It's International Women's Day! And with the UN Chief declaring we're seeing the 'mainstreaming of misogyny' we're examining how real, passionate and tireless action leads to monumental change for women.Lawyer, advocate, survivor and Dharug woman Karen Iles joins the discussion as we examine the significant recommendations handed down by the Australian Law Reform Commission this week that could seriously change things for victim-survivors of sexual assault, the majority of whom are women.Less than 1 per cent of perpetrators are ever held as solicitors and advocates for victims/survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, leveraging her legal expertise and public platform to drive systemic change.The ALRC found that with one in five women and one in 16 men experiencing sexual violence since the age of 15, fewer than one in ten such incidents are reported to police. From there, 75 to 85 per cent of such reports do not proceed to charges, and even fewer go to court. As such, the ALRC has outlined a roadmap for fixing the justice system, including 64 recommendations for meeting the twin goals of access to justice and accountability. Read more on the findings here.Karen joins Women's Agenda co founder Angela Priestley for this ep, who also shares why every day is International Women's Day on Women's Agenda.About Karen IlesKaren is Founder of Violet Co Legal & Consulting, Karen and her practice provide legal advice and representation to victim/survivors. She works tirelessly to reform justice processes, advocating for improved police responses and reducing stigma around rape and sexual assault.Recognised for her impactful work, Karen was named Private Practitioner of the Year by the Women Lawyers Association of NSW (2023) and received the Law Society of NSW Pro Bono Service Award (2022). Karen is a Dharug Aboriginal woman and victim/survivor of child sexual assault.

Welcome to a special edition of the Women’s Agenda podcast. This is AI Unlocked, and the final part of our three-part series sponsored by Salesforce.In today's ep, we explore the gaps, the solutions and the push to get more women involved in AI. You'll hear from some of the women who are shaping the industry. They also reveal how anyone can be a part of the AI revolution regardless of their tech skills. Check out Part 1 of the series in the feed, exploring gender gaps in AI, and Part 2, exploring how women in business leverage AI. Thank you to Salesforce for supporting this series, as well as our journalist Dinushi Dias and senior producer Allison Ho.

It's gender pay gap day, with the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has revealed the total remuneration pay gaps at more than 9000 employers. Just in time for International Women's Day.So, what do you need to know about the data, and are we seeing progress? WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge joins the conversation to share why, despite some pretty dramatic gaps at certain employers, we may start to see some positive progress in the coming year. Mary also dismantles some common myths about gender pay gaps and what they tell us about workplace gender inequality. You can check out much more from the data on Women's Agenda now, including more on some of the massive gaps in women-dominated industries like healthcare and retail. And go learn more about direct employers you're interested via WGEA's data tools.

Welcome to a special edition of the Women’s Agenda podcast. This is AI Unlocked, and Part Two of a three-part series sponsored by Salesforce. In today's episode, we examine how women are using AI in business. And why accessing these tools can be a an opportunity to also deal with some of the risks associated with AI. More men than women are using generative AI, according to research by Salesforce and YouGov. So how did we get here, and what can be done? Through this three-part series we'll discuss all this and more, through conversations with UN Women Australia, Salesforce, AI entrepreneurs, and advocates.The final ep of AI Unlocked will be in your feed next Saturday.Check out Part 1 of the series in the feed, exploring gender gaps in AI Thank you to Salesforce for supporting this series, as well as our journalist Dinushi Dias and senior producer Allison Ho.

Confronted by the state of democracy? Misinformation, rise of extreme parties, and public statements of cruelty by those elected? Well there's still plenty to be optimistic about, especially when it comes to women taking an active interest in democracy: they're dedicating their careers to it, engaging in campaign sand even running for office. In some cases, they're launching startups aiming to strengthen democracy. One such woman is Su Dharmapala, co founder of Polipedia, who joins for a conversation on women and democracy and the power of community. We also discuss the women's vote in the lead up to the Federal election, coming very soon to Australia. Check out more on Su's work here. And see how the Women's March led to the founding of two co founders launching the startup Polipedia here.

Welcome to a special edition of the Women’s Agenda podcast. This is AI Unlocked, Part One of a three-part series sponsored by Salesforce.In today's episode, we spotlight the gender gaps in who is designing AI tools, and then how such tools are being used. More men than women are using generative AI, according to research by Salesforce and YouGov. So how did we get here, and what can be done? We examine the issue through conversations with several leaders, including UN Women Australia, Salesforce, AI entrepreneurs, and advocates. The next ep of AI Unlocked will be in your feed next Saturday. Thank you to Salesforce for supporting this series, as well as our journalist Dinushi Dias and senior producer Allison Ho.

On a mission to catch up for lost time on women's health, today's guest outlines areas of women's health that have been sidelined for too long, areas that can be addressed. Professor Jane Hirst is an academic obstetrician and the Global program director of women’s health at The George Institute for Global Health. We explore some of the opportunities ahead. Some of the big wins, and why Professor Hirst remain optimistic even after challenging news in recent weeks that the Trump administration is cutting funding to international development programs globally, including those that deal with women's health. Professor Hirst is an excellent and passionate advocate for women's health. There is so much to takeaway from this conversation.

The overwhelming majority of startup funding went to male founders in 2024 with the results actually going backwards for women. So why is this still happening, given all the rhetoric from governments, investors and founders on the need for change to support more women in startups?Today, we discuss the numbers in the State of Startup Funding Report for 2024, released in early February and documenting the year that was for startups in Australia. Noga Edelstein joins the discussion, sharing her perspective as a founder herself, an investor and an advisor to startups. Noga offers some great ideas on why the gender funding gap persists and what can be done to change the ratio in the future. She also shares more on the "soul destroying" process she went through raising capital for her own startup UrbanYou, which she later successfully exited in 2017. Finally, Noga wraps up the episode with advice for women looking to build a startup in 2025. You can learn more about the State of Startup Founding report here. The Women's Agenda Podcast is produced by Agenda Media, publisher of Women's Agenda. You can subscribe to our daily lunchtime update here.