This report investigates gender-responsive procurement (GRP) principles and measures from other Australian and international jurisdictions and considers how Queensland Government procurement can be further used as an instrument to drive gender equality outcomes.

The Queensland Government are eager to promote and achieve gender equality in Queensland, as evidenced by recent policy developments including the Queensland Women’s Strategy 2022-2027 (QWS), the Inclusion and diversity strategy 2021-2025, and the Developing a Gender Equality Action Plan 2021 (DGEAP).

The QWS and the DGEAP identify government procurement as a powerful strategic tool in promoting and achieving gender equality, with the QWS making a clear commitment in that regard. The Queensland Procurement Policy 2023 (QPP) does contain some specific gender responsive procurement measures, but it does not explicitly commit to the advancement of gender equality through procurement. Similarly, the advancement of gender equality through government procurement is not referred to in the Queensland Procurement Strategy 2023, or the Q2032 Procurement Strategy.

In Queensland, there are significant inequalities between men’s and women’s engagement with, and experience of, the private sector workforce. Due to the significant economic contribution of government procurement to a state’s gross domestic product, public procurement presents a real opportunity for government to influence change and advance gender equality. Improving gender equality not only benefits women’s wellbeing and security, but provides societal, economic, and organisational benefits.

This report investigates how procurement is utilised to promote gender equality by other Australian state governments and international governments. Case studies from different jurisdictions are categorised based on the three key stages of the procurement cycle- the pre-tender stage; tender stage; and post-tender stage. For each case study, the GRP measure is identified and reviewed.