This research is undertaken by a team of Aboriginal researchers from Griffith University and Macquarie University. It responds to the paucity of qualitative data on Aboriginal women’s experiences as employees in the Victorian Public Sector (VPS). 

Aligning with the goals and values of the Gender Equality Act 2020 and the Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector, this project took an intersectional approach (Crenshaw 1989) to research on gender equality. The researchers focused specifically on the experiences of Aboriginal women, who are arguably one of the most under-researched yet most disadvantaged cohorts in the workplace (Bargallie 2020a).

The VPS is one of Victoria’s largest employers of Aboriginal peoples and a job in this public service has the potential to provide stability and economic security for Aboriginal women. Participants in this research spoke highly of wanting to secure ongoing employment in the VPS. The findings, however, also revealed that working in the VPS poses many challenges for Aboriginal women. The findings show that Aboriginal women in the Victorian public service sector experience high levels of both racism and misogyny in the workplace.