A recent snapshot conducted by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has shed light on the gender pay gap within the public sector. 

The findings reveal that while the gender pay gap stands at 10.1% across 52 commonwealth public sector employers, the gap narrows to 6.2% when considering only the 40 Australian Public Service (APS) agencies participating. Surprisingly, non-APS agencies included in the snapshot have widened the gender pay gap. 

Narrowing the gender pay gap

The WGEA snapshot highlights that when focusing solely on the 40 APS agencies, the base salary gender pay gap is significantly reduced to 6.2%, aligning closely with the calculations made by the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) at 6%. 

This suggests that the APS is making strides in promoting gender equality and narrowing the gap within its agencies.

Transparency challenges for non-APS employers

The WGEA snapshot also highlights the need for more transparency regarding non-APS Commonwealth employers, including corporate Commonwealth entities and companies outside the definition of APS and the private sector. 

Until now, these entities have not been subject to reporting on pay and composition. However, with the introduction of mandatory public sector reporting for employers with over 100 employees, there is hope for increased transparency and accountability for these entities. This will mark the first time such entities in the public sphere must disclose their gender pay gap data, enabling greater awareness and driving change.

Higher gender pay gaps among participating non-APS agencies

Among the non-APS agencies that voluntarily participated in the snapshot, the results reveal higher gender pay gaps compared to their APS counterparts. While the snapshot is not comprehensive, it is an initial analysis of participating agencies. 

The 12 non-APS agencies included in the analysis were Airservices Australia, ABC, Australian Federal Police, Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, Australian Sports Commission, Clean Energy Finance Corporation, CSIRO, Department of the Senate, Indigenous Business Australia, NBN Co Limited, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), and SBS.

Encouraging men’s involvement in parental leave

An interesting finding from the snapshot was that the proportion of men taking parental leave was similar between the private and public sectors, with 13% and 13.5%, respectively. WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge expressed surprise at this statistic, considering that one would expect the public sector to be more supportive of parental leave. 

Creating an environment where men feel encouraged and confident to take parental leave is crucial for achieving true gender equality.

The WGEA snapshot of the gender pay gap within the public sector reveals both positive and concerning trends.  To achieve gender equality, constant vigilance is required across all sectors, including the public sector. The WGEA snapshot serves as a reminder that progress in closing the gender pay gap in the minimum wage is an ongoing endeavour. This shows that introducing mandatory reporting for public sector employers is a significant step toward increasing transparency and accountability.

Jomar Teves

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After four years in business school and working for multinational clients, Jomar believes he can improve the world through his writings via Public Spectrum, by informing the public on the latest news and updates happening around the government and society. Jomar has eight years experience as a writer and has a degree in Business Administration and Entrepreneurial Marketing.

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