TO COINCIDE with International Women’s Day (IWD), the ACS – the professional association for Australia’s ICT sector – will today participate in the Women in Cyber event in Melbourne, an initiative of the Office of the Cyber Security Special Adviser within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Roundtable discussions will focus on the barriers to women choosing cyber careers, the reasons women leave the cyber industry and ways to address these problems.

The ACS has long been an advocate for advancing diversity in ICT to capture the full potential of the digital economy. Its 2015 Report, The Promise of Diversity, shows that Australia is a long way from filling the gender equality gap, particularly in ICT, where women comprise only 28 percent of the ICT workforce compared to 43 percent of the wider workforce. 

The shortfall is particularly acute in technical roles in the cyber security area, which has risen to the top of the international agenda as high-profile security breaches raise concerns around the potential impact on the global economy. Data from SEEK Employment Trends Report suggest that the number of cyber security roles advertised in Australia grew by more than 57 per cent year-on-year in February 2016. The opportunities for women to forge a career in cyber are many.

Chair of ACS Victoria, Maria Markman said, “The ACS is pleased to support the Women in Cyber event and we congratulate the Office of the Cyber Policy Special Adviser on this important initiative. 

“Addressing the barriers for women in ICT requires short and long-term initiatives, supported by genuine commitment by employers, educators and governments to collaboratively tackle these barriers. This event is a significant step forward.”

ACS vice president, Yohan Ramasundara said, “Through committed, outcome-focused leadership the ACS is working to address the ICT gender disparity at all stages of women’s education and careers towards a more gender balanced world.

“The ACS values the contribution of women and promote gender equality in the Australian ICT sector. On International Women's Day we celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievement of our female colleagues around the world. The theme for this year #BeBoldForChange  is a call for everyone of us to stand up and do our bit to help achieve womens full potential for a more prosperous future for us all.”

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A SUCCESSFUL Everest climber, former Telstra Business Woman of the Year finalist, and 30-year resources sector veteran has been recognised by the sector for her outstanding achievements.

Karen Alexander was presented the Exceptional Woman in Queensland Resources Award in Brisbane today by Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations Grace Grace, Queensland Resources Council (QRC) President Rag Udd and Women in Mining and Resources Queensland (WIMARQ) Chair Maria Joyce before a state-wide audience of more than 900 people.

They were attending, or viewing live via webcast, the annual QRC/WIMARQ International Women’s Day Breakfast and Resources Awards for Women presentation, hosted by BHP Billiton.

Karen, Manager of Strategic Alliances-Mining with Hastings Deering, was one of just two females among 800 male engineering students while studying for her mechanical engineering degree, and one of the first two females to ever complete this degree at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

And now, she is Hastings Deering’s first senior executive sales business leader.

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AUSTRALIAN Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) Kate Carnell said the responses today from CBA and ANZ to the ASBFEO bank inquiry recommendations fall well short of what’s needed to improve current small business lending practices.

“Judging by the responses of the big banks so far, it’s clear they’re not listening to the growing chorus of concern about the way they treat small business borrowers,” Ms Carnell said.

“Both banks bloviated today about supporting various recommendations we’ve made in our inquiry report, but the devil’s in the detail; when you dig a little deeper, there’s always conditions attached, and without definitive timelines for action, all of this talk means absolutely nothing.” 

Speaking at today’s House Economics Committee hearing, CBA CEO Ian Narev committed to removing non-monetary default terms, but only from agreements for loans up to $1 million, while ANZ CEO Shayne Elliott said his bank was only prepared to consider the future use – as opposed to removal – of non-monetary default terms in agreements for loans of up to $3 million.  It follows NAB’s unwavering refusal on Friday to remove any such clauses from small business loan agreements.

“We simply don’t think it’s reasonable for the banks to be able to default a small business loan when people are compliant financially, and we’re absolutely resolute in our recommendation that all non-financial default clauses be removed from small business loan contracts of up to $5 million,” Ms Carnell said.

“The banks say they rarely use these clauses for loan impairment, so why insist on their inclusion in the first place?  They claim that getting rid of them would drive up risk for the bank and cost for the borrower, but if they’re rarely used, how could this possibly be the case, not to mention the fact banks already factor-in the risk associated with small business loans, including small business loans secured against bricks and mortar such as the family home.

“Our inquiry heard heart-breaking stories from small business owners who’d been subject to such clauses, so for ANZ’s Graham Hodges to today maintain their inclusion is ‘good practice’ is just breathtaking,” she said.

Ms Carnell once again reinforced the practical need for the banks to change the way they define a small business.

“Mr Narev today said ‘there’s no magic number’ when it comes to stipulating what defines a small business loan facility.  In fact, there is such a number and it is $5 million,” Ms Carnell said.

“$5 million isn’t a figure we’ve plucked out of the air, it’s a figure supported by others including David Murray, and more recently Phil Khoury, who was appointed by the banks to scrutinise their own code of conduct.

“Anything below $5 million is clearly an out-of-date concept that does not represent the true lending picture of Australia’s small businesses. $5 million covers 98 per cent of loans to small business so I call on the banks to heed our advice – and that of others – and acknowledge they’re severely out of touch on this.

“We don’t want weasel words about supporting changes; we don’t want the banks to cherry-pick certain details from our recommendations that best suit them.  All of our recommendations are reasonable, do-able and do-able quickly, and all of them are designed to make a difference in the lives of small business people, and there’s absolutely no excuse for the banks to keep kicking the can down the road on this,” she said.

www.asbfeo.gov.au

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QUEENSLAND Resources Council (QRC) Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane has released a statement on the Queensland Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) Bill.

"The Queensland Government’s Strong and Sustainable Resource Communities Bill parliamentary committee report has been released this afternoon," Mr Macfarlane said.

"This Bill will add unnecessary extra red-tape to our sector’s operations, and lower the state’s competitiveness, at a time when the sector is rebounding and more jobs are coming onto the market.

"It is worth noting that of the (nearly) 50 operating coal mines in Queensland, just two were originally designed as 100 per cent FIFO mines.

"These two mines were approved as FIFO mines by the previous Labor Bligh government at a time when the sector was at its peak and there was an extreme shortage of skilled workers to fill jobs.

"However, since operations began at these two mines, both now use local contractors to service the mines and are therefore no longer 100 per cent FIFO.

"QRC is now working with the resources sector, schools and local communities to train young people with the skills needed to work in the sector through our educational and skills program the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA).

"The sector’s goal is, that in the future, this program will provide a local source of more skilled workers for mining and gas operations in Queensland."

www.qrc.org.au

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