Melbourne Water’s Belonging Action Plan 2026-2030 sets out how we are creating a safe, inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone can belong and thrive.
This action plan brings together our work across 6 focus areas, First Peoples, Gender Equality, LGBTIQA+, Disability, Culturally and Racially Marginalised, and Social Disadvantage, into one intersectional plan that embeds equity into everyday decisions, systems and behaviours across our organisation.
This is the legislative version of Melbourne Water’s Belonging Action Plan, submitted as Melbourne Water’s Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) for the 2026–2030 cycle. It also serves as Melbourne Water’s Disability Action Plan under the Disability Act 2006 (Vic) and meets our accessibility obligations by incorporating the required elements of an Accessibility Action Plan, aligned with the Victorian Public Sector Commission’s accessibility focus areas. This Plan is published prior to compliance assessment by the Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector and may be subject to change.
A summary version and an Easy Read version will be available soon.
Accessibility Action Plan
At Melbourne Water, we’re committed to promoting accessibility principles and practices in everything we do; from our relationships with suppliers and stakeholders to how we deliver services for our community and customers. Our Belonging Action Plan 2026- 2030 is now submitted as our Accessibility Action Plan for 2026-2030.
Diversity and Inclusion Strategy
At Melbourne Water, we’re committed to committed to creating a more diverse and inclusive organisation while embedding and integrating diversity and inclusion into our work at every level. Our Belonging Action Plan 2026- 2030 is now submitted as our Diversity and Inclusion strategy for 2026-2030.
Gender Equality Action Plan 2022-2025
At Melbourne Water, we’re committed to promoting gender equity principles and practices. Our Belonging Action Plan 2026- 2030 is now submitted as our Gender Equality Action Plan for 2026-2030.
Previous Gender Equality Action Plan
Melbourne Water compiled a Gender Equality Progress Report in 2025 to measure our progress under the 2022–2025 Gender Equality Action Plan, and reflect our transition to a stronger, more intersectional approach to gender equality.
The report shows that Melbourne Water has continued to make progress across all 7 legislatively‑set gender equality indicators, with measurable improvements evident in areas such as:
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leadership representation,
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equal remuneration,
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flexible work and caring,
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recruitment and promotion practices,
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and the prevention of workplace sexual harassment.
Over this reporting period, we strengthened our systems, governance, and capability to support sustainable change. This includes:
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embedding pay‑equity monitoring as an annual organisational practice,
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improving gender balance in traditionally male‑dominated roles,
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increasing men’s participation in paid parental leave,
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and lifting the consistency of inclusive recruitment and progression practices.
We also deepened our intersectional approach. Gender equality actions increasingly consider how gender interacts with other aspects of identity and experience, including:
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First Peoples,
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disability,
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cultural background,
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caring responsibilities,
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and diverse gender identities.
Our transition from Gender Impact Assessments to Equity Impact Assessments reflects this shift, embedding intersectional equity considerations more consistently into policy, program, and service design.
In 2025, Melbourne Water also moved from multiple standalone diversity and inclusion plans to a single, integrated Belonging Action Plan 2026–2030, which will be submitted as our next Gender Equality Action Plan under the Gender Equality Act. This marks an important step toward more coordinated, accountable, and people‑centred delivery.
Melbourne Water remains committed to continuously and actively advancing gender equality. While progress has been made, we recognise that change is not even across all roles or experiences, and further work is required. Our focus now is on building on this momentum, deepening impact in operational areas, strengthening intersectional data and lived‑experience insights, and continuing to ‘move the dial’ toward a safer, more equitable, and more inclusive workplace for everyone through the Belonging Action Plan 2026 that is now submitted as our Gender Equality Action Plan.
Download it now
- Belonging Action Plan 2026- 2030
- Gender Equality Action Plan 2022-2025
- Progress Report Gender Equality Action Plan 2025
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This Plan is published prior to compliance assessment by the Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector and may be subject to change.
- Diversity and Inclusion Strategy
