26 September 2023

Gender pay gap stays stable

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The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has announced that the national gender pay gap remained relatively stable over the past six months falling just 0.1 per cent.

Director of the WGEA, Libby Lyons (pictured) said the drop resulted in the gap remaining at 14.0 per cent for full-time employees, a difference of $241.50 per week.

Ms Lyons said that this year, (Un) Equal Pay Day would be on 28 August , marking the 59 additional days from the end of the previous financial year that women must work, on average, to earn the same amount as men earnt that year.

She said she would have liked to see a stronger fall in the gap.

“Although it is good that the gender pay gap has declined slightly and remains stable, it shows that we still need to have more Australian employers taking action on gender equality and addressing pay equity,” Ms Lyons said.

“What Equal Pay Day actually signifies is that every other day of the year is Unequal Pay Day for women.”

She said Australian women first won the right to be paid the same as men for doing the same work or work of equal or comparable value in 1969.

“Employers have to analyse their data to ensure their employees are paid equitably and lawfully”, Ms Lyons said.

“If they identify any pay gaps, they need to create action plans to eliminate them, measure their progress and hold people accountable for the outcomes.”

She said the gender pay gap mattered.

“Women comprise half of Australia’s workforce,” she said.

“Yet over their working life, they will earn less than men, encounter more obstacles to their career progression than men and accumulate less superannuation and retirement savings than men.”

Minister for Women, Senator Marise Payne said while the gender pay gap was heading in the right direction, there was more to do to keep closing it.

“Last year’s Women’s Economic Security Statement — the first-ever by an Australian Government — has improved the lives of Australian women by opening up more opportunities for them,” Senator Payne said.

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