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"General inclusive recruitment practices" failed to increase women's participation in a male-dominated workforce, a commission has accepted, in granting an employer an exemption from anti-discrimination laws.

There were "no non-discriminatory ways of achieving the purpose for which the exemption has been sought", Queensland Industrial Relations Commissioner Jacqueline Power found.

Downer EDI Rail applied for an exemption from the operation of numerous provisions of the State's Anti-Discrimination Act so it could limit recruitment and participation in its 'Women on Track' program to women only.

It told the Commission that as part of workforce planning for a train manufacturing project (the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program), along with contractual requirements from the State Government, it had adopted a target of achieving at least 20% women's participation across the project's workforce...