Leading for the future: From intent to impact

Across our sector we continue to hear the language of integrity and inclusion. Policies, strategies and leadership messages point towards change. Yet for many women and diverse people, including trans and gender diverse staff, the day-to-day experience still looks different. They remain more likely to encounter discrimination, more likely to be held to higher standards, and more likely to carry the unpaid load of culture change in their teams.

Effective inclusion is shaped by the decisions, priorities and behaviours of those with power, and filtered through policy and process. With positive duty obligations now requiring organisations to actively prevent sex-based discrimination and sexual harassment, it is no longer enough to be compliant on paper. The question is whether our systems and structures are genuinely designed to welcome, develop and retain women and diverse people. Is there a seat at the table, or is it standing room only?

WAFA26 will bring together women, diverse staff and allies to examine where progress is genuine, where it has stalled, and what it will take to turn commitments into meaningful change in our workplaces and communities. This includes confronting processes and systems that are outdated or not fit for purpose, and that disadvantage women and diverse people or produce tokenistic outcomes. It also means revisiting what it is to be a public servant, and recognising that we do not get to choose which communities we reflect or whose safety and dignity we prioritise. The conference will centre the voices of those most impacted as we address the structural and cultural barriers that limit the participation of diverse voices. 

The WAFA 2025 Conference in Perth — If not now, then when: a call to action on safety, inclusion and respect — brought together delegates from across Australasia to showcase the diverse contributions of women in every part of the fire and emergency sector. From frontline firefighting to community risk reduction, from emergency management and administration to organisational development, participants shared knowledge, built networks, and strengthened the call for safer, more inclusive and respectful workplaces.

WAFA was proud to partner with AFAC23 powered by INTERSCHUTZ to deliver our 2023 Conference in Brisbane. With the theme Sustaining Diversity, the program explored how to support and empower women to advance their careers, increase representation across all levels of the sector, and build safe, inclusive workplaces. Hosted by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services, the conference highlighted the critical role of diversity in meeting the challenges and opportunities of a changing emergency management landscape.

In 2021, with the ongoing impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, WAFA partnered with AFAC to deliver our conference online. We hosted a virtual booth in the exhibition hall and featured on the exhibition stage, ensuring our community could still connect, share and be part of the conversation.