Australian Women Break Barriers in Economics Profession

Australia has made significant strides in promoting female economists to leadership positions, but their stories have often gone untold. Associate Professor of Economics at Adelaide University, Duygu Yengin, notes that between 2023 and 2026, several firsts were achieved, including Danielle Wood becoming the first woman to chair the Productivity Commission, Michele Bullock the first female governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), and Jenny Wilkinson the first woman to lead the Australian Treasury.

However, these milestones represent a culmination of nearly 150 years of women's contributions to economics in Australia. The country's first economics textbook was written by Catherine Helen Spence in 1880, which remained on the curriculum for 20 years. Marion Phillips became the first Australian woman elected to a national parliament in 1929.

A new book, 'Power in Numbers: Australian Women in Economics,' by economists Melissa Bray and Catie Bradbear, tells the stories of 16 women who have shaped Australian economics. The authors highlight that despite these achievements, women remain underrepresented in economics, making up only around one-third of economists in Australia.

The book emphasizes the importance of diversity in economics, as Professor Betsey Stevenson notes: 'Diversity matters because it gives us better perception, a better understanding of problems, of wants and needs, and of potential solutions.'