Gender Pay Gap Persists in Australia Despite Slight Gains
Men are nearly twice as likely as women to earn $220,000 annually, with limited progress made in closing Australia's gender pay gap over the past year.
The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), a federal government body, released its gender pay gap findings on Tuesday, covering data from 10,500 employers. The report indicated a slight increase in women occupying highly paid roles; however, men remain 1.8 times more likely to be in the top quartile of earners, with an average salary of $221,000.
Conversely, women are 1.4 times more likely than men to be in the lowest quartile of earners, earning approximately $60,000 annually.
WGEA Chief Executive Calls for a Reality Check
“The fact that men are nearly twice as likely as women to be in the highest paid roles and that women still dominate the lowest paid roles should offer a reality check for anyone who thinks Australia has achieved equality in the workplace,”
said Mary Wooldridge, WGEA’s chief executive.
More than half of employers have a gender pay gap exceeding 11.2% in favor of men. In the 2024-25 period, 22.5% of employers recorded a gender pay gap within the target range, a slight increase from 21.4% the previous year.
WGEA Data Highlights Wage Disparities
Last November, WGEA data revealed that Australian women earned on average $28,425 less than their male counterparts in the 12 months leading up to March 2024.
The report identified large disparities in discretionary payments, such as performance bonuses and overtime, as significant contributors to many employers’ gender pay gaps.
“Employers should treat gender equality like their other business goals. Do a detailed analysis to find the issues, create an action plan to address them and set targets to be accountable for ensuring progress happens,”
Wooldridge emphasized.
Industries with Largest Gender Pay Gaps
Employers with the most substantial gender pay gaps tend to operate in male-dominated or highly paid gender-balanced sectors, including financial services, construction, and mining. In these industries, a majority of workplaces report gender pay gaps exceeding 11.2%.
Government Response and Importance of Transparency
Katy Gallagher, the Minister for Women, noted that the inclusion of commonwealth public sector employers in the data release is contributing to progress.
“This transparency shines a light on where progress is being made and where more work is needed,”
Gallagher said.
“Gender pay gaps tell us a lot about how workplaces really operate, who gets opportunities, who gets rewarded, and who has the flexibility to manage responsibilities outside of work.
Flexible work is a key part of the solution. When workplaces genuinely support flexibility, women are more likely to stay connected to work, progress into senior roles and build their lifetime earnings.”
