At AUSTRAC, we pride ourselves on creating a working environment that values and utilises the contribution and experience of our employees from a range of diverse backgrounds.

Our AUSTRAC Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Program 2019-23 (PDF, 4.5MB) outlines how we will continue to cultivate an organisational culture where all voices are heard, respected and valued.

The initiatives, actions and targets outlined in this program reinforce our commitment to achieving an inclusive organisational culture that values the contributions, skills and knowledge of all employees.

We have taken significant strides in building a workplace that is accessible and welcoming to all. Our staff have access to a broad range of flexible work practices, and we encourage a healthy, inclusive workplace where everyone is respected and feels safe. It is important that we continue to nurture this culture of inclusion and actively look to remove barriers to workforce participation.

The program includes specific plans for:

• workplace accessibility
• Indigenous employment
• gender equality
• mature-age employees
• LGBTIQ+ employees
• culturally and linguistically diverse employees.

AUSTRAC is a member of the Diversity Council Australia, the Australian Disability Network, and ACON’s Pride in Diversity program. We are also ongoing participants in the Stepping Into Internship program, Women in Law Enforcement Strategy (WILES) program and the Jawun Secondment program. 

Reconciliation at AUSTRAC 

At AUSTRAC, we understand that reconciliation is an ongoing process. We are committed to taking meaningful action to create lasting change, both within our agency and in the communities in which we operate.

AUSTRAC’s ‘Innovate’ Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2024-2026 (PDF, 7.17MB) outlines how AUSTRAC will take action to advance the four dimensions of reconciliation: relationships, respect, opportunities, governance.

Under this plan, we aim to achieve better results in attracting, retaining, advancing and celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees. We will work closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community leaders and organisations, as well as our Indigenous employees, to ensure that our efforts are inclusive and effective. 

Our Reconciliation Action Plan proudly features the artwork, Protecting Country, created for AUSTRAC by Indigenous artist, Riki Salam.

AUSTRAC Gender Equality Employer Statement

At AUSTRAC, we are committed to fostering a fair and inclusive workplace where all employees are recognised and rewarded equitably. Gender equality is a priority for us, not only because it reflects the core values we stand for, but because it strengthens our ability to deliver on our mission as Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulator and financial intelligence unit.

Our progress on pay equity

In the 2023 reporting period (the most recent Workplace Gender Equality Agency data available), AUSTRAC’s total remuneration gender pay gap decreased to 6.3%, down from 10.6% in 2022. While this remains just above the Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s target range of +/-5%, the year-on-year improvement reflects the impact of our targeted actions and sustained focus on equity.

Since then we have seen encouraging shifts in representation at senior levels. In 2023, 33% of key management personnel and 25% of the governing body were women. As of early 2025, 60% of our Executive Board are women, a change that supports further reduction in the gap over time.

Understanding the drivers

Women make up 59% of AUSTRAC’s workforce, and are strongly represented in both management and non-management roles. However, the underrepresentation of women in the most senior and highest-paid roles continued to influence the overall gender pay gap in the 2023 reporting period. We are addressing this by focusing on career progression, leadership development, and structural enablers such as flexible work and equitable access to opportunity.

Our commitments

Through our Gender Equality Action Plan 2025–26, AUSTRAC is continuing to invest in the conditions that support gender equity. Our priorities include:

• Continuing to ensure equitable access to flexible ways of working to support employees to balance their work and personal commitments, including further study and caring responsibilities.  
• Supporting gender-balanced leadership through targeted development initiatives and increasing representation of women in senior roles.
• Supporting long-term financial wellbeing by providing ongoing access to superannuation resources and awareness sessions.
• Embedding safe and respectful work practices, with a continued focus on preventing gender-based harassment and supporting those affected by domestic and family violence.
• Reviewing the number, nature and value of Individual Flexibility Agreements to ensure equality of opportunity for men and women.
• Building pay equity insights by collecting and analysing gender-disaggregated workforce data to inform action and track progress.
• Engaging our workforce through consultation and feedback mechanisms, ensuring staff voices inform our gender equality priorities.

These actions are guided by evidence and underpinned by a strong commitment from our executive leadership team.

Looking ahead

We will aim to bring AUSTRAC’s gender pay gap within the neutral range of +/-5% by the 2026 Workplace Gender Equality Agency public sector report. Our approach remains data-informed, outcomes-focused, and driven by a belief in fair and inclusive workplaces.

At AUSTRAC, gender equity is not an initiative. It is a standard we work towards every day.