Inclusion and diversity

Our department is committed to building a workforce that represents the community that we serve and support the Queensland Government’s Inclusion and diversity strategy 2021–2025.

We acknowledge our responsibility as leaders and individuals to drive change and build a public sector for all, where everyone feels safe, respected and included.

We expect all employees, from every classification level, to be accountable for enabling an inclusive workplace culture that values diversity and respect. We also have a responsibility to attract, develop and retain a workforce which reflects the community we serve.

We have several employee network groups (ENGs) to support our people and promote diversity and inclusion throughout our department, such as the:

  • Disability and Accessibility ENG
  • LGBTIQIA+ ENG
  • First Nations ENG.

Our Equity and Diversity Plan

The Equity and Diversity Plan signifies how we aim to achieve our commitment and cultivate a workplace culture where the values of equity, respect, inclusion and cultural safety are embraced and demonstrated every day.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

The Reframing the Relationship Plan outlines our commitment to a reframed relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples based on fairness, inclusivity, dignity and belonging.

We are committed to creating a culturally capable workplace where we value the diverse knowledge, skills, history, traditions, and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and seek to maximise their employment and career development opportunities.

We recognise that many First Nations people have considerable knowledge of land, natural resources and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations, and that this knowledge should be properly and fairly recognised in the employment and career development process.

We aim to create an environment that embeds cultural safety in all aspects of the organisation, that enhances our engagement, partnerships, service delivery and workforce processes being more culturally diverse and inclusive by:

  • building culturally safe workplaces and service delivery with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples – through inclusive, accountable leadership and clear processes that aims to build the cultural capabilities of all staff
  • implementing culturally safe recruitment, induction and retention processes – through more inclusive and improved policy, practices and procedures
  • strengthening our response to racism and discrimination – through a zero tolerance to racism, managing conscious and unconscious bias, and developing policies, procedures and practices to educate and support people.

To accelerate progress towards increasing the proportion of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders working in our department, we participate in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander career pathways service which supports First Nations employees to develop and progress their careers into leadership and decision-making roles.

Participants gain access to cross-agency and external career development opportunities, giving them the ability to grow personal networks and identify mentors within a culturally safe space.

Gender equity

Gender equity in the workplace enables better problem solving, innovation and productivity. It allows us to better serve our diverse community.

We understand the importance of gender diversity in leadership to attract and retain new talent by demonstrating that gender is not a barrier to success.

Our focus is to:

  • increase representation and support for women at all levels, particularly in leadership roles
  • address equity and diversity identified through annual audits
  • demonstrate our commitment to gender equity and creating a safe workplace for everyone.

Disabilities and accessibility

Our Disability Service Plan (DSP) 2022–25 (PDF, 376.77 KB) describes the actions we will take to deliver services and products that:

  • are inclusive
  • uphold the human rights of people with disability
  • promote choice and participation
  • address barriers people with disability may experience.

The plan also acknowledges the right of people with a disability to participate as equitably as others, bringing to the department a set of unique skills, experiences, perspectives and knowledge.

We have established a Disabilities and Accessibility ENG to provide our people with disability and their allies with opportunities to:

  • connect
  • share information
  • foster inclusiveness
  • drive a supportive workplace.

The aim of the ENG is to:

  • create a safe space
  • raise awareness
  • provide support identify barriers
  • develop strategies to better support, attract and retain employees with a disability.

Our memberships with Australian Network on Disability and Diversity Council Australia support this work.

LGBTQIA+ inclusion

Our department has a zero tolerance for discrimination. We take an active role to ensure the workplace is a safe and supportive environment. We are committed to supporting the rights of LGBTQIA+ employees.

Our membership with Pride in Diversity has been an important step in our commitment.

Our LGBTQIA+ ENG is working to champion a safe, respectful and inclusive culture where LGBTQIA+ employees can proudly be themselves. Members promote inclusion and provide advice to our department through the implementation of initiatives.

The ENG also works to connect our department with whole-of-government initiatives and the Queensland Public Sector LGBTIQ+ action plan and the Queensland Pride in Our Communities Strategy 2024–2032.

People who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD)

Valuing diversity enhances employee engagement by demonstrating that we understand and respect different cultures.

Increasing the representation of people from a non-English speaking background will ensure we are able to attract the most highly talented people, regardless of their background.

We actively support the Queensland Government’s Multicultural Policy and Action Plan.

This will help deliver on the Queensland Government’s commitment to promote our state as a united, harmonious and inclusive community and foster an environment of opportunity for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Domestic and family violence (DFV) prevention and awareness

Together we are building a safe and supportive culture that demonstrates respect, gender equity and a zero tolerance to violence.

The department’s prevention and awareness activities help employees better recognise, prevent, and respond to domestic and family violence. Everyone has the right to feel safe and supported in the workplace.

Flexible working

We understand that flexible working allows greater participation and performance for a wide range of employees. We offer an extensive range of flexible employment arrangements that help our people manage their work and life.

Find out more

Find out more about working with us and current employment opportunities and programs.