The federal government has removed a widely-mocked logo for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet's (PM&C) Women's Network after it was criticised for its "phallic" appearance.
The logo, a cursive purple W next to a rectangular shape with a rounded end, had appeared on the department's careers website.
In a statement, the department said its staff diversity networks were rebranded in 2019 "to establish a consistent look and feel".
The department also said neither Prime Minister Scott Morrison nor the Prime Minister's Office were involved in the logo design.
The logo was the subject of outrage and mockery on Twitter on Sunday, with criticism intensifying on Monday:
By Monday afternoon, Women's Network Australia — a networking organisation for Australian businesswomen — put out a statement making it clear it wasn't affiliated with the PM&C.
Women's Network Australia chief executive Cheryl Gray said while the department's focus on equal employment opportunity was "encouraging", the logo choice was "unfortunate"
She called for it to be taken down.
Late on Monday night, the department published a statement saying the logo had been removed from its website, "pending consultation with staff".
How did this happen?
The rounded shape appears to be consistent with other logos among the department's different staff diversity networks:
Here's more from the department's statement on how the design came about:
The Women's Network logo retained a W icon which staff had been using for a number of years.
The rebrand was completed internally, using existing resources, and designs were consulted on widely.
No external providers were engaged for this work.
What is the PM&C's Women's Network?
According to the department's website, the Women's Network is a volunteer-based organisation among several others created as part of its equal opportunity initiative to "work towards the vision of a more inclusive and diverse workplace".
On the University Queensland's graduate employers website, the department says the organisation:
... assists PM&C in enabling cultural change aspirations expressed in the Department's 100-1000 day plan for transformational change by helping implement PM&C's Gender Equality Action Plan and Embracing Inclusion and Diversity Program.
The Women's Employee Network promotes gender equality and supports members to succeed in their personal and professional lives.
The network priorities are founded on driving cultural change and encouraging men to drive this cultural change, particularly in areas where men can make a significant contribution.
