ABSTRACT
Historically in Australia women have been policy shapers as well as policy takers and have called on the state to promote social reform and equal opportunity. In this chapter, the author surveys the impact of the discursive shifts on women's policy machinery, primarily at the federal level but with some broader comments relating to sub-national levels of government. One important aspect of the Australian model of women's policy machinery was that it was originally developed by the women's movement rather than invented by government. Women's Electoral Lobby lobbied for the original model of women's policy machinery to be adopted by state and territory governments and it was eventually replicated in all jurisdictions, including the women's budget process. There has been diversification of structures, ranging from almost complete disappearance in the Australian Capital Territory to the creation of a self-standing Department for Women in New South Wales. Historically, Australian feminists have put considerable effort into international work.
