The gender pay gap
What is equal pay?
Equal pay is the difference in earnings between women workers and their male counterparts in the same work role.
It follows the idea that if you are doing the same job, you should be paid the same wage. In Australia, equal pay is a legal requirement.
What is the gender pay gap?
The gender pay gap is broader in scope than equal pay: it is the difference in pay of women and men, usually measured across workplaces, industries, occupations and the workforce as a whole.
This gap highlights gender inequality, demonstrating how women’s earning capacity is reduced from the start of their careers through to retirement.
There are a couple of ways to measure the gender pay gap:
- Hourly measure (the pay gap on an hourly basis across all employees)
- Official full-time measure (full-time average ordinary time earnings of men compared to women)
- Total earnings measure (the pay of all employees, including part-time workers)
What is the current gender pay gap in Australia?
As of March 2026, the gender pay gap in Australia is 11.2%. This is a record low!
Why does the gender pay gap exist and how is it improving?
There are three main barriers to women receiving the same pay as men:
- The undervaluing of work in female-dominated occupations
- Barriers to participating in work (like unpaid care and domestic work)
- Discrimination in hiring, promotion and pay, among others
The good news is that over the last few years, the gender pay gap has improved (narrowed) and at a faster rate too, than in the past.
At the time of the federal election in May 2022 (after nearly 10 years of Liberal-Coalition governments), the gender pay gap was 14.1% – which is exactly where it had been four years prior. As of March 2026, the gender pay gap has shrunk to 11.2%.
This progress has not happened by accident – it is a direct result of new work rights and wage reforms won by union members and introduced by the Albanese government.
Some of these reforms contribute to addressing more than just one of the three main barriers to women receiving the same pay as men:
1. Gender Equality as a new Object of the Fair Work Act
2. Strong recent increases in minimum and award wages
3. Removing caps on public sector pay and bargaining
4. Equal pay for workers in aged care
5. Equal pay for early childhood education and care workers
6. Further progress towards equal pay across the Award system
7. Multi-employer bargaining
8. Stronger jobs market for women
9. Strengthened rights to flexible work
10. Ten days paid family and domestic violence leave
11. Improved childcare subsidies
12. Stronger protections against insecure work: fixed term contracts and casual work
13. Improved Commonwealth Paid Parental Leave
14. Stronger rights to work from home
15. Fairer rules around part time work
16. A ban on pay secrecy clauses in employment contracts
17. Stronger rules for company reporting on their gender pay gaps
18. Stronger laws to combat sexual harassment at work
19. Costs protection for claimants challenging discrimination and harassment at work
20. Whole of government approach to gender equality
The even better news…
Some research shows that if we continue to progress as we are, Australia’s gender pay gap could close completely within the next decade. That’s huge!
In the meantime, data continues to show that union members earn more than non-members.
Are you already a union member?
Reach out to your union for more specific information about how you and your workmates can make the most of your rights at work.
Not yet a member?
Joining your union is the most powerful decision you can make to protect your rights at work.