The Office of National Intelligence has partnered with Future Women on a series of events to support women in the National Intelligence Community. Our event on 18 October 2022 focused on women in leadership.
The Hon Clare O'Neil MP, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Cyber Security, in conversation with host Helen McCabe, discussed the importance of gender diversity in leadership across the NIC.
“One of the best things we can do to help other countries be safer, to improve our own safety as a country, is make sure that women are free and empowered”, said Minister O’Neil.
“Australia can have an edge over our competitors if we make sure that women have their rightful place in this conversation.”
The event, held at the National Press Club of Australia, included more than 100 women who work across the NIC, in a variety of roles.
In her discussion with the audience, Minister O’Neil emphasised the importance of asking for feedback and finding mentors.
“I would say learn by doing. You really need to push yourself into leadership positions, even if you don’t feel ready to do them.”
The event was the second in the NIC and Future Women Speaker Series, known as Connect+, and more events are planned aimed at inspiring women across the NIC to enhance their leadership skills and providing a platform for networking.
ONI knows the importance of diversity in the workplace: our work requires imagination, vision and unconventional ways of seeing problems and solutions. These depend upon bringing together a wealth of different perspectives, insights and ways of thinking from across the breadth of Australian society.
Alongside the intelligence community that ONI leads, we are committed to building on the strong progress we’ve already made on increasing gender diversity in the workplace.