National

'Reality check' for workplaces on gender pay gaps

Mar 3, 2026

ABS LABOUR FORCE STOCK — Almost 5.9 million Australian workers will have access to gender pay gap information. -AAP Image

Australian employers are being urged to address gender pay gaps at senior levels of their companies to ensure workplace equality becomes a reality.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

Almost 5.9 million workers will have access to pay gap information as the Workplace Gender Equality Agency publishes results for 10,500 employers.

While more workplace pay gaps have shrunk than during the same reporting period in 2025, more than half of employers have a gender pay gap larger than 11.2 per cent in favour of men.

High-paying and male-dominated industries are more likely to have large gaps.

Men are nearly twice as likely as women to be in the highest-paid roles, while women dominate lower-paid jobs.

This should offer a reality check for people who believe Australia had achieved equality in the workplace, the agency's chief executive Mary Wooldridge said.

"Employers should treat gender equality like their other business goals," she said.

"Women and men want a fair and equal opportunity to use their full range of skills and capabilities, hold the most senior and highest paying roles, feel safe at work and have some flexibility to manage other responsibilities, such as caring, outside of work."

Gender pay gaps measure the difference between the average pay for men and women within an organisation, and can be used to gauge the differences in how their work is valued.

The construction sector has the average gender pay gap of 23.8 per cent, followed by financial services.

"(Construction) is a highly masculinised industry, while (financial services) is a balanced industry in terms of their composition, but quite unbalanced in relation to the proportion of men in high-paying roles versus women in lower-paying roles," Ms Wooldridge said.

"We need vigilance on employers ... so no one gets a particular gold star and can rest on their laurels, they will need to continue to be working to narrow their gender pay gaps and improve their employee experience."

Large differences in discretionary payments, like performance bonuses and overtime hours, remain a key driver of many employer gender pay gaps.

Stephanie Mediero chairs the women's network at medical-technology company Medtronic, building leadership opportunities and promoting career advancement.

She said the playing field was particularly uneven between men and women in STEM fields.

"Gender targets alone are not sufficient to close the pay gap, to move the needle we have to work on building the confidence of women in the workplace," she told AAP.

"When women have confidence in their skills and what they can offer, they are more likely to go for those leadership opportunities."

It is the third year the agency has released pay gap data as an increasing number of employers conduct analyses and put in place strategies to close the divide.

Flexible work was a key part of shifting the dial towards more equal workplaces, Women's Minister Katy Gallagher said.

"When workplaces genuinely support flexibility, women are more likely to stay connected to work, progress into senior roles and build their lifetime earnings," she said.