Fay Marles , Victoria 's first equal opportunity commissioner and a leading voice for women's rights in the workplace, died Friday in Melbourne at the age of 98.
Marles was known for her work challenging discriminatory attitudes towards women in the workforce.
Marles was mother of Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles . Born in 1926, Marles earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma in Social Studies from the University of Melbourne in 1948. She then pursued a career as a social worker.
“Many employers have in their minds a stereotype of the jobs that they consider as suitable for men and women,” she said in a past interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). “[Some believe] women are no good at figures, women are overemotional, women are not ambitious, women cannot stand up to pressure."
As commissioner from 1977 to 1986, Marles championed laws to end discrimination, comparing them to crucial worker protections of the past. “Anti-discrimination legislation is nothing more than the 20th century equivalent of the factories acts or the child labour acts in Britain in the last century,” she argued. “It is controlling exploitation within a work situation. It is certainly not creating that situation itself.”
Marles' career extended beyond her commissioner role. She worked as a social worker and academic, and in 1986, became the first female deputy chancellor of the University of Melbourne, later serving as chancellor in 2001.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan praised Marles for her dedication to breaking barriers for women. "Fay Marles grew up in a world where women were taught to keep their ambitions and aspirations small," Allan said in a statement.
Allan commended Marles for her work on issues such as workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, and women's pay. Marles' efforts brought these topics to the forefront of national discussion.
“Perhaps her most well-known intervention was the 'pilots’ case' where she helped up-end the offensive notion that somehow women were less skilled, less competent, less able,” said Allan.
Marles, who was recognized as a Member of the Order of Australia in 1986. She was married to Don Marles for 66 years until his passing in 2017. She is survived by her four children.
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Marles was known for her work challenging discriminatory attitudes towards women in the workforce.
Marles was mother of Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles . Born in 1926, Marles earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma in Social Studies from the University of Melbourne in 1948. She then pursued a career as a social worker.
“Many employers have in their minds a stereotype of the jobs that they consider as suitable for men and women,” she said in a past interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). “[Some believe] women are no good at figures, women are overemotional, women are not ambitious, women cannot stand up to pressure."
As commissioner from 1977 to 1986, Marles championed laws to end discrimination, comparing them to crucial worker protections of the past. “Anti-discrimination legislation is nothing more than the 20th century equivalent of the factories acts or the child labour acts in Britain in the last century,” she argued. “It is controlling exploitation within a work situation. It is certainly not creating that situation itself.”
Marles' career extended beyond her commissioner role. She worked as a social worker and academic, and in 1986, became the first female deputy chancellor of the University of Melbourne, later serving as chancellor in 2001.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan praised Marles for her dedication to breaking barriers for women. "Fay Marles grew up in a world where women were taught to keep their ambitions and aspirations small," Allan said in a statement.
Allan commended Marles for her work on issues such as workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, and women's pay. Marles' efforts brought these topics to the forefront of national discussion.
“Perhaps her most well-known intervention was the 'pilots’ case' where she helped up-end the offensive notion that somehow women were less skilled, less competent, less able,” said Allan.
Marles, who was recognized as a Member of the Order of Australia in 1986. She was married to Don Marles for 66 years until his passing in 2017. She is survived by her four children.
(This is a top story on Google Trends)
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