Mary Wooldridge

Born and raised in Melbourne, Wooldridge went on a Rotary exchange to Canada when she was 16. The father of her Canadian host family was the local mayor, and she got to witness his work impact firsthand.

“I really grew to understand how community activism occurs, how elected representatives act and behave, and make a significant difference for the community they represent,” she told the University of Melbourne in 2022.

“In many ways, that shaped a lot of the things I did subsequently.”

After leaving school, Wooldridge completed a Bachelor of Commerce, graduating with honours in 1990.

While studying, she joined the Student Representative Council, and was elected alongside future political peers including current deputy prime minister Richard Marles, as well as her long-time friend, Nicola Roxon.

Wooldridge and her family had a long-held connection to the Liberal Party, and in 1989, her final year of university, she joined as a member.

Leadership in business

Pursuing a path in healthcare management consulting, Wooldridge worked in the private sector as a graduate and later completed an MBA from Harvard University.

Returning home from Harvard, she spent time as a senior political adviser and chaired the Commonwealth Advisory Committee on Homelessness.

Her business acumen was tested in the non-profit sector from 2001 as the CEO of the Foundation for Young Australians and her work was recognised when she won the Equity Trustees Not for Profit CEO Award.

Leadership in politics

Looking to make a difference at the community level, she had ambitions in state politics, rather than federal.

“My passion has always been social policy in its broadest sense,” she said.

“These things are worth doing if you can help plan and articulate a vision for change and opportunity to improve people’s lives.”

In 2006, she won the seat of Doncaster and was given numerous shadow ministries in social policy.

Following the Coalition’s election in 2010, Wooldridge could make a more direct difference as Minister for Mental Health, Women's Affairs and Community Services, and later Disability Services and Reform.

Her contribution to reform included the creation of the position of Australia's first Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People, as well as helping to ensure full-time schooling for each child in youth justice.

She was also instrumental in establishing the national family violence prevention agency Our Watch.

In leadership, she pushed for policies that “reflected a joined-up approach to help families, to really support them to get back on their feet, to drive change, to create a safe environment and to give children opportunities for the future.”

In 2014, her work led to the creation of the groundbreaking Victorian Mental Health Act, the first re-draft of mental health legislation in the state in 25 years.

At election in the same year, she won an upper house seat for Victoria's Eastern Metropolitan region and was immediately promoted to Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council. In 2020, after 13 years of service, she retired from parliamentary politics.

Striving for workplace equality

In 2021, Wooldridge was appointed as CEO of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA). Her intentions were clear when she took on the role.

“The time for talk and excuse is over. Change takes action and employers need to double down on ensuring all employees are fairly represented and equally valued and rewarded in their workplace.”

Earlier this year, Wooldridge spoke at the National Press Club, introducing WGEA’s new report on the gender pay gaps at 5000 employers in Australia. For Wooldridge, however, it’s about more than facts and figures.

“This is what drives our work at the WGEA. We are focused on the fact that behind every gender pay gap calculation, composition quartile and benchmark comparison, is a person, who, like every one of us, goes to work and hopes for a fair go.”