Anne brings a longstanding connection to the Working Women’s Centres alongside extensive experience in public and private sector governance, industrial relations, public policy and advocacy. She was a member of the management committee of the South Australian Working Women’s Centre while working for the Australian Services Union and has continued to support Working Women’s Centres through advocacy and lobbying of government.
Most recently, Anne served as a Director of Statewide Super, a profit-to-member superannuation fund. She was a Senator for South Australia from 2005 to 2016 and, prior to that, an Industrial Officer and Secretary of the Australian Services Union SA and NT Branch.
Throughout her paid and voluntary work, Anne has used her positions to improve outcomes for working women through industrial strategy, policy, legislation and governance measures that address inequality, opportunity and discrimination in the workplace.
Anne’s appointment comes at an important moment for the Working Women’s Centre network as we strengthen the national body and prepare for the establishment of Working Women’s Centre Australia as an independent organisation. Over the coming year, we will progress the recruitment of inaugural national board directors and build the governance foundations needed to support a strong, effective and sustainable national organisation.
“Australia’s state and territory Working Women’s Centres have a long, successful, and often difficult, history of advocacy and practical support for women experiencing workplace discrimination. I am excited to continue my association with the Centres and their work as the inaugural Chair of the new, national Working Women’s Centre Australia.
The fight for respect and fairness for all women, wherever they work, is ongoing and the opportunity to help establish and lead a national organisation dedicated to improving the lives of women is an honour I welcome.”
– Anne McEwen OAM
The Working Women’s Centre Australia welcomes the launch of the Speaking from Experience report by the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) — a landmark project centring the voices of over 300 women and gender-diverse people with lived experience of workplace sexual harassment.
At Working Women’s Centre Australia (WWCA), we are proud to have supported this vital project, encouraging those who have experienced harm to help shape the national conversation.
The report outlines practical, lived-experience-driven steps to:
✅ Prevent workplace sexual harassment
✅ Strengthen trauma-informed responses
✅ End the harmful misuse of NDAs
✅ Expand access to justice
A key recommendation calls for funding specialist organisations — including Working Women’s Centres, multicultural services, LGBTIQA+ organisations, youth centres, disability services, women’s services, and First Nations organisations — to deliver accessible, culturally appropriate education and outreach on workplace sexual harassment.
One of the critical barriers identified in Speaking from Experience is the widespread use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in workplace sexual harassment cases. These agreements often silence victim-survivors and prevent advocates from speaking out.
The report calls for NDAs to be used only at the request of the victim-survivor, ensuring they are a tool for safety and empowerment rather than a means of shielding perpetrators.
WWCA sees the Speaking from Experience report as highlighting the opportunity for stronger collaboration between policymakers, employers, and advocacy organisations like Working Women’s Centres across Australia to co-design better solutions. When advocates help lead the way, we can achieve genuine, lasting reform that creates safer and more respectful workplaces.
As part of this project, the AHRC has developed a suite of resources to help drive change — designed for workers, employers, and advocates.
👉 Explore the resources: Workplace Sexual Harassment Resources
👉 Watch the Panel Discussion: online launch of the Speaking from Experience report, sharing diverse voices and calling for an end to NDA misuse.