{{Short description|Australian human rights commissioner and sport administrator}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}} {{Use Australian English|date=March 2018}} {{infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Kate Jenkins | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|AO}} | image = File:Kate Jenkins.jpg | caption = Jenkins in 2016 | birth_name = Kate Michelle Jenkins | birth_date = | birth_place = Australia | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = | education = | alma_mater = | occupation = {{hlist|Sports administrator|business executive}} | office2 = Chairman of the Australian Sports Commission | term_start2 = May 2024 | term_end2 = | predecessor2 = Josephine Sukkar | successor2 = | office3 = Sex Discrimination Commissioner of the Australian Human Rights Commission | term_start3 = 2016 | term_end3 = 2023 | predecessor3 = Elizabeth Broderick | successor3 = Ross Croucher }}
'''Kate Michelle Jenkins''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AO}} is a human rights lawyer and commissioner and sports administrator. She was Commissioner at the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission before becoming the Sex Discrimination Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission from 2016 to 2023. Jenkins was appointed the chair of the Australian Sports Commission in May 2024.
== Career == Jenkins was the lead equal opportunity partner at Herbert Smith Freehills. There, she led the firm’s Melbourne Women in Business group for more than a decade and was the lead employment partner in the firm’s pro bono community program.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/appointments/14627-hsf-partner-appointed-vic-hr-commissioner |title=HSF partner appointed Vic HR Commissioner |publisher=Lawyersweekly.com.au |date=2013-09-02 |accessdate=2015-11-09}}</ref>
Jenkins was appointed Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner of Victoria in 2012.<ref name="autogeneratedvic">{{cite web |url=http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/index.php/about-us/organisational-structure/the-commissioner |title=The Commissioner - Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission |publisher=Humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au |date=2012-10-18 |accessdate=2015-11-09 |archive-date=6 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306012911/https://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/index.php/about-us/organisational-structure/the-commissioner |url-status=dead }}</ref> In April 2015 she was the convener of the Victorian Male Champions of Change,<ref>{{cite web|author=Shane Green |url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/human-rights-commissioner-kate-jenkins-names-afl-chief-gill-mclachlan-among-19-male-champions-of-women-in-the-workplace-20150414-1mkltk.html |title=Human rights commissioner Kate Jenkins names AFL chief Gill McLachlan among 19 male champions of women in the workplace |publisher=Theage.com.au |date= 14 April 2015|accessdate=2015-11-09}}</ref> the chair of the Independent Review Into Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment, including predatory behaviour in Victoria Police<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/plan-to-stamp-out-sex-harassment-and-discrimination-within-victoria-police/story-fnii5sms-1227575642176 |title=Police sex discrimination 'a serious problem' |publisher=News.com.au |date=2015-10-20 |accessdate=2015-11-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.afr.com/leadership/what-kate-jenkins-human-rights-commissioner-learned-about-discrimination-20150824-gj64wk |title=What Kate Jenkins, Human Rights commissioner, learned about discrimination |publisher=afr.com |date=2015-09-24 |accessdate=2015-11-09}}</ref> and the co-chair of Play by the Rules. She was also the co-chair of the Commission’s Disability Reference Group and a member of the Aboriginal Justice Forum.<ref name="autogeneratedvic"/>
From 2016 until 2023 Jenkins was the Sex Discrimination Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins |url=https://humanrights.gov.au/about/commissioners/sex-discrimination-commissioner-kate-jenkins|access-date=2020-12-06|website=Australian Human Rights Commission}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-04 |title=Farewell to Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins |url=https://humanrights.gov.au/about/news/farewell-sex-discrimination-commissioner-kate-jenkins |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=Australian Human Rights Commission |language=en}}</ref> In January 2020, Jenkins handed to the Morrison government her ''Respect@Work'' report, the findings of a national inquiry into sexual harassment in workplaces.<ref>{{cite web | title=Respect@Work: Sexual Harassment National Inquiry Report (2020) | website=Australian Human Rights Commission | date=5 March 2020 | url=https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/sex-discrimination/publications/respectwork-sexual-harassment-national-inquiry-report-2020 | access-date=22 August 2024}}</ref>
In November 2021, she led a review of the Parliament House workplace culture following the 2021 Australian Parliament House sexual misconduct allegations.<ref>{{cite web | last=Gould | first=Courtney | title='Fresh meat': Review lifts lid on toxic Parliament culture | website=news | date=30 November 2021 | url=https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/review-into-workplace-culture-at-parliament-house-to-handed-to-government/news-story/5d2f6faec3df1826c620029966596f96 | access-date=22 August 2024}}</ref><ref>[https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7154556/jenkins-review-into-parliament-culture-a-welcome-step/ Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins to lead review into Parliament House workplace culture]</ref>
===Boards=== In October 2015, Jenkins was appointed to the board of Carlton Football Club, where she promised to work towards creating a female team for the upcoming women's AFL competition.<ref>{{cite web|author=Caroline Wilson |url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/carlton-put-equal-opportunity-commissioner-kate-jenkins-on-board-20151019-gkcu8v.html |title=Carlton put equal opportunity commissioner Kate Jenkins on board |publisher=Theage.com.au |date=2015-10-19 |accessdate=2015-11-09}}</ref> {{as of | November 2015}} Jenkins was on the board of Berry Street Victoria – the state's largest independent child and family welfare organisation<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.berrystreet.org.au/OurBoard |title=Board Members |publisher=Berry Street |date= |accessdate=2015-11-09}}</ref> – and a member of the boards of Heide Museum of Modern Art.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/2015-10-19/kate-jenkins-joins-carlton-board |title=Kate Jenkins joins Carlton Board |publisher=Carltonfc.com.au |date= |accessdate=2015-11-09}}</ref>
Jenkins was appointed the chair of the Australian Sports Commission in May 2024, replacing Josephine Sukkar.<ref name =asc2024>{{Cite web |title=ASC welcomes new Chair |url=https://www.sportaus.gov.au/media-centre/news/asc-welcomes-new-chair |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=Australian Sports Commission |language=English}}</ref>
In August 2024 she was appointed chair of the newly-created division of Creative Australia (formerly Australia Council), Creative Workplaces.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kate Jenkins AO to chair Creative Workplaces Council |website=Ministers for the Department of Infrastructure |date=11 August 2023 |url=https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/burke/media-release/kate-jenkins-ao-chair-creative-workplaces-council |access-date=26 September 2024}}</ref>
=== Other activities=== In February 2015 Jenkins was a signatory to a statement by the Australian Council of Human Rights Authorities defending the independence and supporting the work of the Australian Human Rights Commission.<ref>{{cite web|author=Shane Green |url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/victorias-human-rights-commissioner-vigorously--defends-national-watchdogs-independence-20150213-13e7rs.html |title=Victoria's human rights commissioner vigorously defends national watchdog's independence |publisher=Theage.com.au |date= 13 February 2015|accessdate=2015-11-09}}</ref>
Jenkins was an ambassador for the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup and the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. In 2021, she conducted the Independent Review of Gymnastics in Australia.<ref name =asc2024/>
Since 01 July 2025, Jenkins has been the President of Australian Red Cross.<ref>{{cite web|author=Australian Red Cross|url=https://www.redcross.org.au/media/releases/2025/governance-announcements/|title=Australian Red Cross announces new President and Board Members |publisher=Australian Red Cross|date= 27 June 2025|accessdate=2026-05-24}}</ref>
==Recognition and honours == In 2015 Jenkins was recognised in the ''Australian Financial Review'' and Westpac 100 Women of Influence Awards for her contribution in addressing equal opportunity and human rights issues in Victoria.<ref>{{cite web |date= |title=2015 Event |url=http://www.100womenofinfluence.com.au/alumni/2015-2/ |accessdate=2015-11-09 |publisher=100 Women of Influence}}</ref>
She was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 2023 King's Birthday Honours for "distinguished service to human rights governance, to advancing gender equity, to the promotion of inclusivity, and to the law".<ref name="2023 KBH">{{cite web |title=King’s Birthday 2023 Honours - the full list |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/king-s-birthday-2023-honours-the-full-list-20230609-p5dffh.html |website=Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Nine Entertainment Co |access-date=11 June 2023 |date=11 June 2023}}</ref> In the same year she was inducted onto the Victorian Honour Roll of Women.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-12 |title=Kate Jenkins AO |url=https://www.vic.gov.au/kate-jenkins-ao |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=State Government of Victoria |language=en-au}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jenkins, Kate}} Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century Australian lawyers Category:20th-century Australian women lawyers Category:Carlton Football Club administrators Category:University of Melbourne alumni Category:Melbourne Law School alumni Category:21st-century Australian lawyers Category:Officers of the Order of Australia Category:People associated with Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer