Copy of Diversity and Inclusion

The APA and our members are committed to fostering and supporting a book industry and culture that serves the needs of all Australians, and increasing diversity and inclusion in the industry.

In 2022 the Board of the Australian Publishers Association prioritised work on diversity and inclusion,  announcing the creation of a working group to lead industry efforts in this space. 

The Diversity and Inclusion Working Group will advise and support the APA Board in the Association’s ambitions to:

• ensure reading is for all Australians
• support First nations writers, publishing and readers
• embrace and facilitate diversity in our own companies
• ensure our technologies and products are inclusive

Working group

The current working group members are: 

• Astrid Browne – Chair (Hardie Grant)
• Rachel Bin Salleh (Magabala)
• Rosina Di Marzo (NewSouth)
• Angela Glindemann (Books+Publishing, previously OUP)
• Rachael Pictor (Cengage)
• Haijira Shaheen (Learning Consultant & former APA Board observer)
• Yasmin Smith (UQP) 

Focus areas

The Working Group has been conducting research into five areas of focus, which will continue to inform the APA’s D&I priorities and projects:

• the cultural diversity of the workforce, including First Nations peoples
• gender and sexuality
• non-traditional pathways into the industry 
• disability and neurodiversity
• inclusive publishing formats and accessible content

Current projects

The APA and D&I Working Group has been working on the following projects:

• A First Nations Publishing Guide that brings together existing research, writing and publishing resources, introduced and overseen by Western Sydney University academic Sandra Phillips. The web-based resource is due to be released in the second half of 2023.
• An APA Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan and Pledge, which outlines the APA’s commitments to improve diversity and inclusion in the industry, and invites publishing members to commit to eight diversity and inclusion actions. The plan is due to be released in the second half of 2023. 
• A new guide to inclusive publishing, Books without barriers, written by members of IPEd’s Accessibility Initiative Working Party (AIWP) and co-published with the APA. The guide was released in May 2023.
• Partnership with the Open Book Internship, a paid internship program that aims to foster cultural and linguistic diversity in the Australian publishing industry. In 2023 the program expanded to host three interns across Sydney and Melbourne.

Reference group

The APA’s D&I Working Group is supported by input from publishing staff across the industry, through a wider reference group that all interested industry members are invited to join.

Reference group members will be called upon from time to time for their expertise on specific diversity and inclusion issues, and to provide further opportunities to share solutions and ideas.

For further information about joining the Reference Group please contact [email protected].

Industry initiatives

• Australian Publishing Industry Workforce Survey on Diversity and Inclusion – the inaugural survey was held in 2022, and is due to be repeated in 2025.
• Residential Editorial Program: scholarship for First Nations editors in 2022 & 2024.
• Continued support of the Accessible & Inclusive Publishing Initiative.
• Open Book - the Open Book Internship is an annual program designed to foster cultural diversity in the publishing industry, supported by the APA and host organisations.
• UQP’s commitment to Diversity and Inclusion and First Nations Publishing saw them named ABIA Small Publisher of the Year in 2021.
• Annual paid summer internships at Hachette.
• black&write! program at the State Library of Queensland supporting First Nations writing and editing.
• APA funded 2019-20 Beatrice Davis research project – 'It’s hard to be what you can’t see: Diversity Within Australian Publishing'.

Do you know of an Australian publishing D&I initiative not included here? Let us know about it.