Question & Answer – Why are There No Women on TasBuild Board?

September 10, 2026

Meg Webb MLC asked the following Question taken On Notice, 2 September 2026, regarding the absence of any women on the seven-person board of TasBuild Limited.

My question is the Minister for Women, and goes to the equitable treatment of Tasmanian  women working in the construction industry, and specifically their representation on the Board of TasBuild which was created to manage the Portable Long Service Fund for eligible Tasmanian construction workers, in accordance with the Construction Industry (Long Service) Act 1997.

Minister, in light of the government’s stated commitment to 50 per cent representation of women on government boards and committees, can you:

  1. Confirm that all of the seven TasBuild directors are men, as is the current Acting CEO?;
  2. Confirm whether TasBuild is required to comply with the gender equity provisions of Section 8.3 of the Cabinet Handbook regarding board appointment processes, including the requirement to provide a completed Tasmanian Women’s Register Appointment Certification Form?; and
  3. Lastly, Minister, if you are unable to provide full answers now, will you undertake to investigate and report back on TasBuild’s obligations to comply with the government’s 50 per cent representation of women on Boards policy, its record of compliance, and any steps you can take to ensure there is future equitable representation of women construction workers on the Board which controls their long service funds?

The Minister’s Response was provided on the 10th of September 2026.

QUESTION ON NOTICE – ANSWER

TasBuild Board – Gender Balance

[2.51 p.m.]

Ms PALMER (Rosevears – Minister for Women and the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence) – Mr. President, I rise to answer a question I took on notice for the honourable member for Nelson. I contacted the member for Nelson to ask if she wanted me to wait the six weeks before I did this, considering she’s not here today, but she has asked me to put it on the record for her. It’s in relation to the board of TasBuild. I thank the honourable member for the question. In responding to the question, I sought advice from the Minister for Small Business, Trade and Consumer Affairs as the minister responsible for the Construction Industry (Long Service) Act 1997. I am advised that TasBuild Limited operates independently from government as a private trustee company. The government does not appoint its directors and has no role in the appointment of directors. Under its articles of association, TasBuild directors are appointed by the nominating organisations, which include Master Builders, TCCI and BISCO representing employers, and the CFMEU, CEPU and the AMUW representing the workers.

The Tasmanian government is committed to gender-balanced boards and committees. Our gender-equality guidelines for Tasmanian board and committee appointments support government agencies to maintain the government’s target of 50 per cent representation of women on boards and committees; design inclusive, transparent and merit-based appointment processes and implement practical strategies to identify, appoint and retain women. Tasmania reached its gender target for the first time in March 2025. While non-government organisations are not required to follow the Tasmanian government’s gender-equality guidelines, the guidance and principles outlined may be adopted by non-government organisations. I certainly encourage any organisations seeking to strengthen gender equality in governance, recruitment and board practices to consider the guidelines as a useful resource. Gender balance on boards matters because better decisions are made when different voices and lived experiences are represented around the table. Ensuring women have an equal voice in leadership and decision-making leads to stronger governance and better outcomes for our community. Boards are at their best when they bring together a diversity of perspectives, skills and experiences, and gender balance is an important part of achieving that.

In 2026, it is reasonable to expect organisations to consider how their boards reflect the communities they serve, and a board without diversity should prompt careful reflection on recruitment, succession planning and leadership pathways. Mr President, my office has spoken with the CEO of TasBuild and shared the Tasmanian government gender-equality guidelines. I encourage the organisation to consider opportunities to strengthen gender balance in its governance arrangements.