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Put Gender on the Tender in Australian Public Projects

Author

Listed:
  • Liyaning (Maggie) Tang

    (School of Architecture and Build Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia)

  • Shaleeza Sohail

    (School of Information and Physical Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
    Program IT, King’s Own Institute, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia)

  • Emma Shorthouse

    (School of Architecture and Build Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia)

  • Larissa Sullivan

    (Richard Crookes Construction, Broadmeadow, NSW 2064, Australia)

  • Matthew Williams

    (School of Architecture and Build Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia)

Abstract

Australia’s construction industry throughout the last two decades has seen an increase in the number of women pursuing careers. The percentage it has increased by between 1998 and 2020 is a disappointing 0.2% despite the research, strategies, and initiatives the Australian Government has implemented during the interval. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and support the legislative notion of required gender percentages on tendering documents and how this change could increase the number of women in public projects. A systematic literature review of scholarly sources from the database Scopus was applied to develop a thematic analysis of women in the industry. The results found four themes: underrepresentation, barriers to career, education pathways, and opportunities for employment. These themes reinforced the need to introduce legislation such as gender requirements for public projects. Connections made were that gender legislation would increase the number of job opportunities, more jobs would encourage all levels of education to promote women in construction, more women in construction would improve their underrepresentation, and thus make women-centric problems in the workforce a more common issue and more likely to improve. The paper concludes that to see an increase in the number of women in Australia’s construction industry, the government must take enforceable legislative change. This change must start by creating legislation that requires organisations that want to tender with the government to have a minimum percentage of women in any proposed public works submission before it can be awarded.

Suggested Citation

  • Liyaning (Maggie) Tang & Shaleeza Sohail & Emma Shorthouse & Larissa Sullivan & Matthew Williams, 2022. "Put Gender on the Tender in Australian Public Projects," World, MDPI, vol. 3(3), pages 1-11, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jworld:v:3:y:2022:i:3:p:38-691:d:908924
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    2. Rita Peihua Zhang & Sarah Holdsworth & Michelle Turner & Mary Myla Andamon, 2021. "Does gender really matter? A closer look at early career women in construction," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(8), pages 669-686, August.
    3. Natalie Galea & Abigail Powell & Martin Loosemore & Louise Chappell, 2015. "Designing robust and revisable policies for gender equality: lessons from the Australian construction industry," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(5-6), pages 375-389, June.
    4. Sandra Fielden & Marilyn Davidson & Andrew Gale & Caroline Davey, 2000. "Women in construction: the untapped resource," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(1), pages 113-121.
    5. Murray, Rainbow, 2014. "Quotas for Men: Reframing Gender Quotas as a Means of Improving Representation for All," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 108(3), pages 520-532, August.
    6. Helen Lingard & Jasmine Lin, 2004. "Career, family and work environment determinants of organizational commitment among women in the Australian construction industry," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(4), pages 409-420.
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