More than 100 women allege pregnancy discrimination inside government departments

Four Corners investigation details demotions, denied flexibility and redundancies; Home Affairs defends counterterrorism staffing call

By LineZotpaper

Published19 October 2026

Read Time3 min

Sources2 outlets

An investigation by Four Corners has heard from more than 100 women who say they faced discrimination in Australian government departments after falling pregnant or having children, with allegations of demotion, refused flexible work and redundancy. The ABC program, The Pregnancy Penalty, features a former counterterrorism executive who took her case to the Fair Work Commission after the Department of Home Affairs refused to let her return to a four-day compressed week.

A Four Corners investigation has heard allegations from more than 100 women who say they experienced discrimination in Australian government departments after falling pregnant or having children, including being demoted, denied flexible work, refused a comfortable place to breastfeed, and in some cases made redundant.

Until June, Alisha Warner was a counterterrorism senior executive at the Department of Home Affairs. Before taking leave for her second baby she worked full-time hours over four days, and asked to return on the same arrangement. She told Four Corners she was met with an "immediate response that senior executives cannot work flexibly".

Documents obtained under Freedom of Information laws show managers sought advice from Human Resources. The department held "reasonable business grounds" to reject the request, although the advice acknowledged it was "arguable" that her four-day arrangement "remains in place". In an internal message, a department official said: "Confirming the intention is not to support the request, so I'd be grateful for a response on that basis."

A Home Affairs spokesman said the role's responsibilities had "evolved post the Bondi terrorist attack, and now require sustained senior executive level oversight, leadership and decision-making", so the department could not approve compressed hours. Warner said she had been available whenever needed on her day off and saw little "tangible evidence" that the role could not be performed on the same arrangement. She eventually took a voluntary redundancy, refusing to sign a confidentiality agreement, and said non-disclosure agreements had left women feeling isolated.

Former Australian Border Force assistant commissioner Kylie Rendina said some managers viewed flexible arrangements as too costly, but losing an experienced staff member was often the greater loss. Replacing one could cost 50 to 200 per cent of an annual salary, she said. Home Affairs denied a cost-driven culture but acknowledged budget was a factor.

Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth said the public service should be a "model employer" and that suggesting flexible workers were less productive was "a bit of an outdated stereotype".

Warner's Fair Work Commission mediation ended without agreement, and she did not escalate the claim. "I strongly believe in my case, but I also know how much lawyers cost," she said. "The biggest disappointment for me is the message that [my story] sends to all the other women coming up through the ranks in the public service, who are already thinking, 'I have to hold myself back if I want to have kids.'"

Analysis

Why This Matters

The public service is expected to set the national standard for gender equality in the workplace; the allegations raise questions about whether it is meeting that standard.
More than 100 women reporting similar experiences points to a pattern rather than isolated cases, with implications for women's careers and workforce participation.
Flexible work is central to how working parents, particularly mothers, stay in senior roles; the outcome of this scrutiny could influence policy across Australian workplaces.

Background

Australian workplace law gives employees with caring responsibilities the right to request flexible working arrangements, with employers able to refuse on "reasonable business grounds". Disputes can be taken to the Fair Work Commission, as Warner did. The public service has long positioned itself as a model employer on gender equality, which makes the allegations in the Four Corners investigation significant. The case also comes at a time when the nature of senior roles, particularly in national security, is changing, as the Home Affairs response to the Bondi attack illustrates.

Key Perspectives

The women who came forward: Alisha Warner and the other women allege that pregnancy and parenting cost them promotions, flexibility and jobs, and that confidentiality agreements have silenced others. Department of Home Affairs: Defends its decision, citing the changed counterterrorism environment after the Bondi attack and budget responsibilities, and denies a culture of refusing flexible work on cost grounds. Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth: Insists the public service should be a model employer and that flexible work should not be treated as a sign of lower productivity. Kylie Rendina, former Border Force executive: Argues managers underestimate the cost of losing experienced staff compared with accommodating flexibility.

What to Watch

Whether the Four Corners investigation prompts political or parliamentary scrutiny of flexible work practices across the Australian Public Service.
Whether other women who signed confidentiality agreements come forward, and whether the issue of NDAs in redundancy deals is raised.
Whether Home Affairs or other departments change their approach to senior flexible work arrangements in response to public attention.

Sources

Women allege pregnancy discrimination inside government departments · Latest business news
Women allege pregnancy discrimination inside government departments · Just In

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedMore than 100 women allege pregnancy discrimination inside government departmentsLatest business news: “more than 100 women who told Four Corners they had experienced discrimination at work after falling pregnant or having children”
SupportedFour Corners investigation details demotions, denied flexibility and redundanciesLatest business news: “Women allege pregnancy discrimination inside government departments... described being demoted, denied flexibility, turned down for promotions, and refused a comfortable place to breastfeed. Some were made redundant or let go”
SupportedHome Affairs defends counterterrorism staffing callLatest business news: “The scope, complexity and sensitivity of the responsibilities assigned to the relevant role under consideration evolved post the Bondi terrorist attack, and now require sustained senior executive level oversight, leadership and decision-making”
SupportedThe ABC program, The Pregnancy Penalty, features a former counterterrorism executive who took her case to the Fair Work Commission after the Department of Home Affairs refused to let her return to a four-day compressed weekLatest business news: “Alisha took action against the Department of Home Affairs in the Fair Work Commission... Alisha had a flexible arrangement in which she worked full-time hours over four days. When I mentioned that I was looking to come back on the same arrangement … I was met with an immediate response that senior executives cannot work flexibly”
Supportedmore than 100 women who say they experienced discrimination in Australian government departments after falling pregnant or having children, including being demoted, denied flexible work, refused a comfortable place to breastfeed, and in some cases made redundantLatest business news: “more than 100 women who told Four Corners they had experienced discrimination at work after falling pregnant or having children... described being demoted, denied flexibility, turned down for promotions, and refused a comfortable place to breastfeed. Some were made redundant or let go”
SupportedUntil June, Alisha Warner was a counterterrorism senior executive at the Department of Home AffairsLatest business news: “Until June, Alisha Warner was a counterterrorism senior executive in the Department of Home Affairs”
SupportedShe told Four Corners she was met with an 'immediate response that senior executives cannot work flexibly'Latest business news: “"When I mentioned that I was looking to come back on the same arrangement … I was surprised to be met with an immediate response that senior executives cannot work flexibly," Alisha told Four Corners”
SupportedThe department held 'reasonable business grounds' to reject the request, although the advice acknowledged it was 'arguable' that her four-day arrangement 'remains in place'Latest business news: “The department had 'reasonable business grounds' to reject Alisha's flexible request, the advice said. However, it acknowledged it was 'arguable' that Alisha's four-day arrangement 'remains in place'”
SupportedA Home Affairs spokesman said the role's responsibilities had 'evolved post the Bondi terrorist attack, and now require sustained senior executive level oversight, leadership and decision-making', so the department could not approve compressed hoursLatest business news: “"The scope, complexity and sensitivity of the responsibilities assigned to the relevant role under consideration evolved post the Bondi terrorist attack, and now require sustained senior executive level oversight, leadership and decision-making," a Home Affairs spokesman told Four Corners. "Accordingly, the department was not in a position to approve compressed hours."”
SupportedFormer Australian Border Force assistant commissioner Kylie Rendina said some managers viewed flexible arrangements as too costly, but losing an experienced staff member was often the greater loss. Replacing one could cost 50 to 200 per cent of an annual salaryLatest business news: “former assistant commissioner of the Australian Border Force, Kylie Rendina, said some managers in the public service viewed flexible work arrangements as too costly. However, she said it was often a greater financial loss for an agency to lose a staff member who needed flexibility... Analysis shows replacing an experienced staff member in an organisation could cost 50 to 200 per cent of an annual salary”
SupportedEmployment Minister Amanda Rishworth said the public service should be a 'model employer' and that suggesting flexible workers were less productive was 'a bit of an outdated stereotype'Latest business news: “Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth said the Australian public service, including the federal government, aimed to be a 'model employer'... 'That's a bit of an outdated stereotype.'”
SupportedWarner's Fair Work Commission mediation ended without agreement, and she did not escalate the claimLatest business news: “The mediation ended without agreement, and she decided not to escalate her claim to the Federal Court”