Women & Leadership Australia has opened nominations for the 2026 Australian Awards for Excellence in Women’s Leadership.
The awards recognise leaders who, through their actions, have improved the likelihood of other women and underrepresented people having equitable access to leadership opportunities or have made significant impact through equality initiatives.
The purpose of these awards is to increase visibility and momentum for more diversity in leadership across Australian society, and to recognise those who contribute time, effort, and energy into making this happen.
The accolades are given annually, both at National and State/Territory levels, over 100 leaders have been recognised since 2014.
Karen Surmon, General Manager of Women & Leadership Australia, says celebrating the achievements of women and gender‑diverse leaders accelerates progress toward equity and inclusion for everyone.
“To drive meaningful change toward equity and inclusion in our society, we need to listen to, learn from, and celebrate those leading the way. The Australian Awards for Excellence in Women’s Leadership highlights the exceptional work of women and gender-diverse leaders who are achieving positive change across our community. By shining a spotlight on their accomplishments, we inspire others and accelerate progress towards equity for all.”
Dr Cathy Foley, Australia’s Former Chief Scientist, won the National Award in 2025. She joins a distinguished list of past recipients, including Julia Gillard AC, Prof Dr Marcia Langton AO, Sam Mostyn AO, Wendy McCarthy AO, and more.
Dr Foley said of the honour, “We are still gendered in most careers even for STEM. While we have lots of girls and women doing the life sciences, they have insecure work and don’t get promoted. In the physical sciences we have a pipe-line issue where girls don’t choose high level maths and physical sciences and so there are few women. Even after decades of effort and initiatives, we are not there yet. There is still work to do.”
Nominations for the 2026 Awards are open to the public and will close on Friday 3 October. To nominate, click here.
Recipients of the National Award and State and Territory awards will be announced in early 2026.
