Why women's leadership progress is stalling – and what it will cost us if we let it.

Momentum in women's leadership isn't automatic, and right now it's stalling. Worldwide, progress on women's political and economic decision-making power remains slow and uneven. It's one of the most stubborn gaps in the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

That stalled progress has a cost. It's Australia's $128B blind spot. It's felt where decisions are made, from parliaments and boardrooms to universities, workplaces, households and community organisations. It's also felt in the innovation, growth and better decisions that broader representation reliably delivers. The case for equal representation was never only about fairness, though it is that. It's also about performance: equal representation broadens perspective, reduces groupthink and is consistently linked to stronger outcomes.

This lecture traces the line from individual leadership to national impact. The 2026 QUT x UN Women Australia public lecture looks at the leadership women step into, the cultures organisations build around them, and the commitments Australia makes as a nation and on the world stage. What will it take from organisations and from individuals to speed up progress before the cost of stalling rises any further?

Join QUT Business School and UN Women Australia to hear from researchers, leaders and advocates, and be part of the conversation on women's leadership.

Meet the panel:

Professor Vicky Browning, School of Management, QUT
Professor Vicky Browning is an organisational psychologist and executive coach. Her research focuses on female political leadership, including leadership styles and the barriers and enablers women face in entering politics. She is Program Director of QUT's Pathways to Politics for Women program, the only program of its kind in Queensland, which received a Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence in 2020. She also chairs the University Equity Committee and is a former QUT MBA Director. Before joining academia, Vicky held senior HR roles in industry.

Dr Jannine Williams, Senior Lecturer, School of Management, QUT
Dr Jannine Williams researches disability, ableism, gender and diversity in organisations, with a focus on socially responsible work and workplace inclusion. Her work examines career progression for disabled workers and gender dynamics in leadership. She has co-edited volumes on women leaders in media representation and on deaf students in higher education. Her research contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals 5 (Gender Equality) and 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

Associate Professor Christina Malatzky, School of Public Health and Social Work, QUT
Associate Professor Christina Malatzky is a feminist sociologist whose research focuses on power and gender in rural health, place attachment and belonging in rural communities, and spatial justice. She is a Chief Investigator in QUT's Centre for Justice and Convenor of the Rural Issues thematic group of The Australian Sociological Association. Her work seeks to understand, engage critically with and disrupt the operation of power in health and gender.

Simone Clarke, CEO, UN Women Australia
Moderator
Simone has 20–25 years of experience in the corporate and for-purpose sectors in sustainability, international development, public-private partnerships, global campaigns and advocacy. She has worked for a range of international corporations, non-government organisations, United Nations agencies and not-for-profits in Australia, the US and Asia Pacific. Simone has global experience in sustainable development, cross-sector collaboration, partnerships, resource mobilisation and digital transformation with UNICEF, Save the Children, Mission Australia, the Australian Football League and Telstra Corporation, among others.
Based in Sydney as Chief Executive Officer of UN Women Australia, Simone is focused on driving systemic change to accelerate gender equality and achieve SDG 5.

Contact the host of Public Lecture: Momentum, Interrupted

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