Women push back against sexual harassment and discrimination in Australia’s hospitality industry

Giving women skills and confidence is key to improving the industry, say advocates. “Waiting for employers to do the right thing just hasn’t worked.” Plus, how you can get involved

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When Caitlin Baker got her start in the hospitality industry more than 10 years ago, there was just one female restaurant manager in Canberra: Dash Rumble, now the co-owner of acclaimed restaurant Such and Such.

“How could women have thought it was possible to pursue a career [in hospitality], when there was literally only one woman in that role?” Baker says. “Hospitality was gate kept by men. It has always been such a male dominated industry, and for a really long time, it felt like there wasn’t much room for [us].”

For Baker, women like Rumble and Bridget Raffal have been instrumental in creating change for the next generation. Raffal is president of advocacy group Women and Revolution (WAR) and owner of Marrickville wine bar Where’s Nick. WAR was the recipient of the inaugural Good Food Guide Cultural Change Champion award for 2025, recognised for its multi-faceted approach to overcoming gender barriers.

Now, as director of women-led beverage group Venus Vinifera, Baker hopes to continue their work in making hospitality an attractive and sustainable career choice for everyone.

The women behind Canberra-based group Venus Vinifera: Dash Rumble, Caitlin Baker, Lucy Pallett-Jones and Becky Khanthavongsa. Cassie Abraham

On Sunday, July 27 Venus Vinifera will host its annual Subject Matters symposium at The Vault in Canberra. The ticketed event includes a full day of discussion panels and workshops to support and educate hospitality professionals and newcomers.

“There have been groups of young women attending who are really hungry and they want to know more, and they want to know how to achieve it,” Baker says. “Part of [our goal] is helping to build confidence and giving people the tools for success so they feel empowered to take on those roles and apply for those jobs.”

“Why can’t we be the catalyst for change?”

Attendees at Venus Vinifera’s Subject Matters symposium.Cassie Abraham

For hospitality to become an attractive career path for women, it must also become a safer one. Following allegations of sexual harassment at Sydney hospitality groups Swillhouse and Merivale, published by The Sydney Morning Herald and Good Food over the past year, organisations such as WAR, Venus Vinifera and not-for-profit organisation Women in Hospitality have further targeted support efforts.

“When we did a survey last year to see what the issues were out there, what people needed was support and better education about how to deal with those types of issues, both as somebody in them and as a bystander,” Baker says.

Woman and Revolution’s Bridget Raffal (left) and Sophie Otton.Wolter Peeters

WAR partnered with the Australian Human Rights Commission for a Speaking from Experience event – one of several throughout the country which gathered insight and experience from more than 300 individuals facing sexual harassment at work. Their answers were used to develop a report, published in June, with 11 recommendations on what needs to change to address workplace sexual harassment.

“I think it’s been a norm within [the hospitality] industry that workplace sexual harassment is expected and accepted and those norms are changing, have changed, and the law is very clear that it’s not acceptable,” says Australian Human Rights Commission sex discrimination commissioner Anna Cody.

The previous Subject Matters symposium in 2024.Cassie Abraham

“In the same way that we have to change our culture around what is appropriate around wearing a hard hat in a construction site, we need to ensure that there are proper mechanisms in place to prevent workplace sexual harassment in restaurants and in bars.”

Recommendations included educational programs and resources, increased limits on the use of non-disclosure agreements, and updated data. “We haven’t had an official survey in the past four years, and we need to know what is happening in workplaces and where there are real trouble spots,” Cody says.

Women in Hospitality launched its inaugural industry experience and progress survey in May, with the aim of identifying issues, informing future policies and practices, and ultimately creating a more inclusive sector. The survey, available online, is ongoing.

“Hospitality has a long history of protecting reputations over people.”

Bridget Raffal

This month, WAR will host its biannual educational program over two days, on Tuesday July 22 and Tuesday July 29. The Outspoken workshops teach women and gender diverse people essential workplace skills, including how to speak up, set boundaries and push back, and help give confidence to navigate tough workplaces. Lawyer and cybersecurity expert Mel Cheng is hosting the workshops. She also brings her experience in music management, working with the likes of Paul Kelly and Sarah Blasko.

The Outspoken program was developed by sommelier and wine industry veteran Sophie Otton, who owns Newtown’s She Loves You, and has worked as Rockpool Bar and Grill wine director.

Developed to strengthen women’s verbal expression, self-confidence and advocacy skills, it’s not to make people good public speakers, but to navigate tough workplaces. “Our focus is on communication as a form of self-protection and leadership,” says Raffal. “…It’s about creating a community that is willing to front up to the challenges in the industry, and work together to create lasting cultural change.”

“Our focus is on communication as a form of self-protection and leadership,” says Raffal (left) about Outspoken, developed by Sophie Otton (right).Wolter Peeters

“Hospitality has a long history of protecting reputations over people, and waiting for employers to do the right thing just hasn’t worked,” says Raffal.

“We’re done buying into the ‘silence as professionalism’ scam. Outspoken helps people find their voice day-to-day speaking up at work, in conversations, and in their communities, while we push for broad change via policy reform because real progress comes from all of us speaking out, whether it’s in small moments or on a bigger stage.”