Libby Lyons
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Libby Lyons is an Australian former public servant who served as the director of the Australian Government's Workplace Gender Equality Agency. She was appointed director in October 2015 and completed her term in April 2021. As director, Lyons played a key role in promoting and improving gender equality in Australian workplaces. She has also been a member of and chaired many boards in several sectors.
Early life and education
Career
Lyons has worked in senior management roles across the corporate and government sectors in the energy, resources and telecommunications industries.
In 2014, she moved to Western Australia, and headed Corporate Affairs for BHP's Olympic Dam project. She held senior roles at Atlas Iron, CITIC Pacific Mining, Alcoa of Australia, and Western Power.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessnews.com.au/article/Lyons-moves-to-BHP|title=Lyons moves to BHP|date=2014-09-01|website=Business News|access-date=2019-08-11|last3=2014 - 15:54}} She was also corporate relations manager at Telstra{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessnews.com.au/user|title=Login|website=Business News|accessdate=6 May 2023}} and acting chair and non-executive director of Perth-based Reclaim Industries.{{cite web |title=ASX Announcement |url=http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20081031/pdf/31db6wtq33pk4m.pdf |website=ASX |access-date=6 May 2023 |date=31 October 2008}}
In October 2015{{cn|date=April 2024}} Lyons was appointed director of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency. In this position, she advocated to close the gender pay gap and break down occupational gender segregation in Australia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/libby-lyons---femaledominated-industries-need-more-men-20160813-gqrtm4.html|title=More men need to be recruited to female-dominated industries|last=Lyons|first=Libby|date=2016-08-14|website=Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|access-date=2019-08-11}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/aug/11/time-for-men-to-sign-up-to-female-dominated-caring-and-sharing-jobs|title=Time for men to sign up to female-dominated caring and sharing jobs|last=Lyons|first=Libby|date=2016-08-11|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-08-11|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} She is a strong advocate for ensuring flexible work practices are normalised for men, as well as women.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/news/19749-law-facing-brain-drain|title=Law facing 'brain drain'|last=Coade|first=Melissa|date=2016-10-13|website=www.lawyersweekly.com.au|language=en|access-date=2019-08-11}}
In November 2016, Lyons presented Australia's gender equality scorecard, based on the Agency's latest data from employers, at the National Press Club in Canberra. In the address, Lyons called on Australian employers to take urgent action to address the gender pay gap.{{Citation|title=National Press Club: Libby Lyons|date=2016-11-16|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/national-press-club/2016-11-16/national-press-club:-libby-lyons/8030742|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-08-11}} She completed her term as director of the agency in April 2021.{{cn|date=April 2024}}
Other roles
Lyons has chaired a number of not-for-profits. She took on the position of executive chairman for Kalparrin,{{Cite web | url=http://kalparrin.org.au/2013/08/message-from-libby-lyons-kalparrins-executive-chair |title = News & Events – Kalparrin}} a Perth-based charity that supports families of children with special needs, in June 2013. She was also on the board of directors and the chair of SIDS and Kids WA.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessnews.com.au/article/Not-For-Profit-Board-SIDS-and-Kids-WA|title=Not For Profit Board: SIDS and Kids WA|date=2008-05-07|website=Business News|access-date=2019-08-11|last3=2008 - 22:00}}
In 2020, Lyons became the inaugural chair of Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE),{{Cite web |last=Leow |first=Mei |date=2020-09-29 |title=Libby Lyons announced as SAGE inaugural Chair |url=https://sciencegenderequity.org.au/news/libby-lyons-announced-as-sage-inaugural-chair/ |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=SAGE |language=en-AU}} a not-for-profit that works with Australian higher education and research institutions to address systemic barriers to gender equity, diversity and inclusion.{{Cite web |title=Science in Australia Gender Equity |url=https://sciencegenderequity.org.au/ |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=SAGE |language=en-AU}}
Following the conclusion of her term as director of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, Lyons was appointed as the inaugural chair of the Aged Care Workforce Industry Council.{{Cite web |title=New Inaugural Chair Announced |url=https://acwic.com.au/acwic_news/new-inaugural-chair-announced/ |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=Aged Care Workforce Industry Council |date=10 June 2021 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Campbell |first=Eleanor |title=Libby Lyons appointed inaugural chair of the aged care workforce industry council |url=https://www.agedcareinsite.com.au/2021/07/libby-lyons-appointed-inaugural-chair-of-the-aged-care-workforce-industry-council/ |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=Aged Care Insite |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=24 February 2023 |title=National Aged Care Advisory Council |url=https://www.health.gov.au/committees-and-groups/national-aged-care-advisory-council#members |access-date=10 May 2023 |website=Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care}} In February 2023, Lyons announced her resignation from the role.{{Cite web |last=McKeown |first=Sean |date=2023-02-06 |title=Libby Lyons resigns as ACWIC Chair |url=https://insideageing.com.au/libby-lyons-resigns-as-acwic-chair/ |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=Inside Ageing |language=en-AU}}
In August 2021, she was appointed WA Chapter chair of Chief Executive Women, for a term of two years.{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-08-02 |title=Articles: Libby Lyons. Chair, WA Chapter |url=https://cew.org.au/advocacy/libby-lyons-chair-wa-chapter/ |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=Chief Executive Women |language=en-AU}} [https://cew.org.au/wp-content/uploads/MEDIA-RELEASE-Libby-Lyons-appointed-WA-Chair-of-Chief-Executive-Women-02-08-21.pdf Media release], 2 August 2021.
Lyons was appointed Adjunct-Professor at Australian Catholic University in 2021.{{Cite web |title=Enterprise agreements entrench inequality {{!}} ACU |url=https://www.acu.edu.au/about-acu/news/2022/february/enterprise-agreements-entrench-inequality |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=www.acu.edu.au |language=en}}
In 2021 Lyons was appointed to the Strategic Council at Perth-based consultancy firm ReGen Strategic.
Politics
Lyons stood for Liberal Party preselection prior to the 2008 Western Australian state election, losing to Bill Marmion in the seat of Nedlands. She also contested preselection for the House of Representatives prior to the 2010 federal election, losing to incumbent Tangney MP Dennis Jensen.{{cite news|url=https://www.news.com.au/news/liberal-party-has-second-thoughts-about-dumping-dennis-jensen/news-story/acdf6f368fc3e43045178f89c690616b|title= Liberal Party has second thoughts about dumping Dennis Jensen|publisher=News.com.au|date=16 August 2009|access-date=2 April 2019|first=Paige|last=Taylor}}
In 2021, Lyons ruled herself out of Liberal preselection for the federal seat of Pearce prior to the 2022 federal election.{{Cite web |last=Hennessy |first=Annabel |date=2021-12-03 |title=Why Libby Lyons won't contest Pearce seat |url=https://thewest.com.au/politics/federal-politics/libby-lyons-rules-herself-out-of-liberal-pre-selection-for-seat-of-pearce-c-4804631 |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=The West Australian |language=en}}
Recognition
In both 2019 and 2018, Lyons was named in Apolitical's Gender Equality Top 100.{{Cite web |title=Apolitical's Gender Equality Top 100 {{!}} 2019 |url=https://apolitical.co/list/en/gender-equality-100-2019 |access-date=2023-05-03 |website=Apolitical |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2018-05-23 |title=Gender Equality Top 100: The Most Influential People In Global Policy |url=https://apolitical.co/gender-equality-top-100/ |access-date=2023-05-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523153619/https://apolitical.co/gender-equality-top-100/ |archive-date=23 May 2018 }}
Lyons featured in the book 200 Women,{{Cite web |title=Libby Lyons - 200 Women |url=https://www.twohundredwomen.com/libbylyons |access-date=10 May 2023 |website=200 Women}} and was awarded Woman of the Decade for Gender Policy by the Women Economic Forum in 2019.{{Cite web |date=2019-04-19 |title=Libby Lyons {{!}} WEF |url=https://www.wef.org.in/libby-lyons/,%20https://www.wef.org.in/libby-lyons/ |access-date=2023-05-10 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Libby Lyons |url=https://www.businessnews.com.au/Person/Libby-Lyons |access-date= 4 April 2024|website=Business News |language=en}}
Lyons was named Woman of the Decade for Gender Equality by the World Economic Forum in 2019.
In 2022, Lyons was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters by Curtin University for "distinguished service to the social sciences through outstanding and influential advocacy for gender equality in the workplace, with impacts in Australia and internationally".{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-05-24 |title=Community recognition {{!}} Curtin Friends |url=https://www.curtin.edu.au/friends/graduates/recognition/ |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=Curtin University |language=en}}
In 2024, she was inducted into the WA Women's Hall of Fame in the business category.
Family
Lyons comes from one of the prominent political families of Australia. She is the granddaughter of former Australian Prime Minister Joseph Lyons and Dame Enid Lyons who was the first woman elected to Australia's House of Representatives, and the first woman appointed to the federal cabinet.{{cite news|url=http://www.afr.com/brand/boss/the-new-wgea-head-libby-lyons-has-famous-relatives-20160322-gnp38z|title=Can this woman close the gender pay gap?|newspaper=Australian Financial Review |date=1 April 2016|publisher=}} Her father was Deputy Premier of Tasmania Kevin Lyons{{Cite web|url=https://issuu.com/graduatehouse/docs/november_newsletter_2017|title=The Graduate Union Newsletter November 2017, p11|date=2017|website=Issuu|language=en|access-date=2019-08-11}} and her brother is Kevin Lyons QC, Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria.{{cn|date=April 2024}}
She married criminal lawyer Michael Jones, who died in 2010.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/legal-affairs/michael-jones-stalwart-crusader-against-mandatory-terms/news-story/bfbe46817b6f58b5e30c5bcfa8ac011e |title=Stalwart crusader against mandatory terms|date=2010-11-25|website=The Australian |access-date=2019-08-11| url-access=subscription}}