In 2018 Council unanimously adopted A City for All, our Social Sustainability Policy and Action Plan 2018 to 2028, following extensive research and consultation. At its core is a vision of Sydney as an inclusive and equitable city that offers all people opportunities to realise their full potential and enjoy a great quality of life.
Such commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion are increasingly under attack.
In the days following his inauguration, President Trump signed Executive Orders and memoranda to end all United States federal government diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility programs and policies, describing them as "dangerous, demeaning and immoral" and "corrosive and pernicious". And all jobs related to them are planned to be axed.
Executive Orders from the 1960s have been revoked including those which aimed to:
- end discrimination in employment
- advance equity and opportunity for American minorities and African Americans
- combat discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation
- and advance equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex individuals.
Also, US corporations – including multinationals operating in Australia such as Google, Amazon, Facebook, McDonald’s, Harley-Davidson and Accenture – are winding back their commitments.
President Trump’s actions have emboldened sections of our media, some business leaders and others to call for similar policies to be adopted here. Peter Dutton has talked about dismissing 36,000 public servants, with those working in diversity, equity and inclusion being primary targets. Some are urging him to go much further, adding to the climate of uncertainty and creating anxiety.
City action
In the face of this, we cannot stay silent. We must reaffirm our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and continue the work which embodies this commitment.
Information about our work is in the Midpoint Review of A City for All, published on the City’s website, with examples of progress including:
- Since 2004, the City has improved access to our libraries, town halls and community facilities by creating step-free entries, lifts and upgrading toilets and other amenities. More than 90% of our facilities are now accessible.
- The City has been a refugee ‘Welcome Zone’ since 2005.
- We support the #RacismNotWelcome [pron: hashtag Racism Not Welcome] campaign.
- The City is a member of the Zero Barriers project helping businesses improve access and inclusion.
- We provide a range of programs to build more positive attitudes towards people with disability.
- In 2024, we increased the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees at the City to 3% and spent $1.97 million with Indigenous businesses.
The City is recognised as an inclusive employer by the Diversity Council of Australia and is accredited as a disability confident recruiter by the Australian Network on Disability.
Since 2004, the number of women employed by the City has grown from 29 to 43.2%, and 51% of our leadership roles are held by women. We have a base salary gender pay gap of 3.8% in favour of women, which is significantly better than the national average of 22% in favour of men.
And we have received national awards for these and other achievements.
Next steps
The City continually seeks to improve and there is more to do.
Among a range of initiatives, the City is developing an overarching Anti-racism Framework; and our 7th Inclusion (Disability) Action Plan.
It is vital this work continues and is not derailed by forces wanting to copy the Trump Administration’s dismantling of DEI initiatives. In doing so, we send a strong message to the community and City staff that we will remain steadfast in our commitment to diversity and advancing equity and inclusion.
