Men are almost twice as likely as women to earn $220,000 a year, and minimal progress has been made in closing the gender pay gap in Australia in the past 12 months.
The federal government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) on Tuesday released its findings on the gender pay gap for 10,500 employers. It revealed that there was a slight increase in the number of women in high-paying roles, but men were still 1.8 times more likely to be in the top quartile of earners with a median salary of $221,000.
On the other hand, women were 1.4 times more likely than men to be in the lowest income quartile with a median salary of around $60,000 a year.
Mary Wooldridge, executive director of the WGEA, said the results should act as a “reality check.”
“The fact that men are almost twice as likely as women to be in the highest paid jobs and that women still dominate the lowest paid jobs should provide a reality check for anyone who thinks Australia has achieved equality in the workplace,” Wooldridge said.
More than 50% of employers have a gender pay gap greater than 11.2%, in favor of men.
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Over the period 2024-25, 22.5% of employers recorded a gender pay gap in the target range, up from 21.4% the previous year.
Last November, WGEA data found Australian women earned 78 cents on average for every dollar earned by men. This equated, on average, to being paid $28,425 less than their male counterparts in the 12 months to March 2024.
Large differences in discretionary pay, such as performance bonuses and overtime, remain a key driver of gender pay gaps at many employers, according to the new report.
“Employers should treat gender equality like their other business objectives,” Wooldridge said. “Do a detailed analysis to find the problems, create an action plan to address them, and set goals to be accountable for ensuring progress is made.”
Employers with the largest gender pay gaps were more likely to operate in male-dominated or high-wage, gender-balanced industries. This includes industries such as financial services, construction and mining, where a large majority of workplaces have gender pay gaps greater than 11.2%.
Women’s Minister Katy Gallagher said the release of the data, which also includes public sector employers for the first time, was helping to “change the dial”.
“This transparency sheds light on where progress is being made and where more work is needed,” he said.
“Gender pay gaps tell us a lot about how workplaces really work, who gets opportunities, who is rewarded, and who has the flexibility to manage responsibilities outside of work.
“Flexible working is a key part of the solution. When workplaces truly support flexibility, women are more likely to stay connected to work, progress to senior roles and increase their earnings throughout their lives.”
