Australia Breaks Ground with First-Ever Publication of Employer Gender Pay Gaps

Historic Transparency Initiative:

• The Albanese Government of Australia unveils gender pay gaps for nearly 5,000 private sector employers.

• The move is a result of Labor's reforms that passed the Parliament last year, focusing on accelerating progress to close the gender pay gap.

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Economic Impact of Gender Pay Gap:

• Minister for Women, Senator Katy Gallagher, highlights the gender pay gap's annual cost to the Australian economy at $51.8 billion.

• Transparent disclosure aims to drive meaningful action by providing evidence to individuals and organizations.
  

Publication by Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA):

• WGEA publishes base salary and total remuneration median gender pay gaps for private sector employers with 100 or more employees.

• Results show 30% of employers have a median gender pay gap within the target range of -5% to +5%, indicating balanced representation.
  

Industry Variation in Gender Pay Gap:

• Significant differences observed across industries, ranging from a 31.8% median gender pay gap in the Construction Industry to 1.9% in Accommodation and Food Services.

• CEO of WGEA, Mary Wooldridge, emphasizes the publication as a catalyst for action, urging employers with higher gaps to initiate change.
  

Call for Employer Accountability and Change

WGEA CEO encourages employers to aim for a gender pay gap within +/-5%, indicating a focus on identifying and addressing inequalities.