Here’s a startling fact: despite some progress, Australia’s gender pay gap persists, and some of the country’s biggest employers are not only failing to close it but are actually moving backward. But here’s where it gets controversial—while the overall gap has inched down from 12.1% to 11.2%, it’s still more than double the target of 5%, and industries like aviation, mining, and healthcare are revealing shocking disparities. A groundbreaking report from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) analyzed 10,500 employers, covering 5.9 million workers, and the findings are eye-opening.
Take Qantas, for example. While women make up 44% of its workforce, they hold just 14% of high-paying roles, where the average salary is a staggering $343,000. In contrast, they dominate 67% of low-paying positions, earning an average of $79,000. And this is the part most people miss—it’s not just about base pay. Discretionary payments like bonuses and overtime play a huge role, especially in sectors like finance. At Bell Financial Group, the base pay gap is a modest 7.4%, but the overall pay difference skyrockets to 55.5%.
Nationally, men are 1.8 times more likely than women to earn top salaries, averaging $221,000, while women are 1.4 times more likely to be low-income earners, making just $60,000. WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge puts it bluntly: ‘This should be a reality check for anyone who thinks Australia has achieved workplace equality.’ She urges employers to treat gender equality as seriously as any other business goal—analyze, plan, and set measurable targets.
Mining giant BHP, with an average salary of $201,000, exemplifies the issue. Only 26% of its top earners are women, yet they make up two-thirds of the lowest-paid workers. Even the banking sector, historically a poor performer, has seen slight improvements, with Commonwealth Bank narrowing its gap to 21.3%. But healthcare? It’s a different story. Advana Heartcare’s pay gap widened to 69.2%, while Sonic Healthcare’s rose to 39.9%.
Here’s the silver lining—some companies are making strides. Healius Ltd slashed its pay gap by 13.3% in just one year, now at 27.6%. Even Nine, the publisher of this article, reduced its gap from 17% to 15%, though Chief People Officer Vanessa Morley admits, ‘There’s more work to be done.’
So, what do you think? Is Australia doing enough to close the gender pay gap, or are these efforts too little, too late? Are industries like mining and healthcare failing their female employees? Let’s spark a conversation—share your thoughts in the comments below. And if you want to stay ahead of stories like this, follow us across all platforms or download the 9NEWS App for breaking updates.
