The release of the latest gender pay gap data has sparked a wave of frustration among Australian employees, as the disparity between men’s and women’s earnings is once again brought into sharp focus. The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has unveiled pay gap figures for every company in Australia with more than 100 employees, exposing the worst offenders, the most improved organisations, and the biggest gaps in the country.

The data confirms that, on average, men in Australia earn $28,425 more than women. This disparity isn’t just limited to base salaries but extends to financial incentives such as superannuation, overtime, and performance bonuses, which account for nearly a third of the gap.

For every dollar a full-time male worker earns, a full-time female worker earns just 78 cents. This translates into a significant annual income difference, reinforcing the persistent structural inequalities in Australian workplaces.

As the data becomes publicly available, employees are flocking to the WGEA’s website to scrutinise their employers. The Data Explorer tool allows workers to assess the average wages, pay gaps, and even identify companies where one in four workers earns $1 million a year.

The report highlights that the over-representation of men in the highest earning quartile is a major driver of the gender pay gap, accounting for up to two-thirds of the disparity in many organisations. Some of the highest-paying companies are among the worst offenders, continuing to widen the divide despite growing calls for pay equity.

WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge emphasised the urgency for businesses to address their pay gaps. "Each employer has a unique set of circumstances that impacts the size of their gender pay gap," she stated. "For employers that haven’t made progress, it’s time to ask why – dig into the data to find out what’s causing any gender differences and use evidence-based solutions to address them."

Wooldridge pointed out that while 1,000 employers are within the target range of a -5% to +5% pay gap, the majority are failing to meet this benchmark. Out of 7,800 individual employers and 1,700 corporate groups analysed, a significant proportion continues to favour men in terms of remuneration.

Understanding the Gender Pay Gap vs. Equal Pay

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding the gender pay gap is the belief that it reflects unequal pay for equal work. In reality, equal pay has been a legal requirement in Australia since 1969. The gender pay gap instead represents the overall earnings difference across a workforce, shaped by factors such as occupational segregation, career progression opportunities, and the distribution of men and women across different pay levels.

The data exposes how systemic issues contribute to the pay gap, including the concentration of women in lower-paid roles and industries, as well as their underrepresentation in executive and high-paying positions.

The latest WGEA data reveals that just one in five Australian employers falls within the ideal pay gap range. A staggering 72% of all employers pay men more, and those with higher overall salaries tend to have larger gender pay gaps.

For the first time, the new reporting structure allows Australians to compare gender pay gaps not just within individual companies, but also across corporate groups. This added transparency aims to increase accountability and pressure businesses to implement meaningful changes.

Who’s Earning the Most?

Among the companies with the largest pay gaps are some of the nation’s highest-paying employers. Data from the WGEA, analysed by The Australian Financial Review, reveals that firms such as Goodman Group, IFM Investors, Morgan Stanley, and UBS have substantial gender pay gaps, despite offering multimillion-dollar salaries to their top earners.

At Goodman Property Services, for example, the gender pay gap sits at a staggering 66.8%. The company attributes this to a "unique remuneration structure" where up to 92% of pay is linked to long-term incentives tied to stock performance. Meanwhile, IFM Investors reports a 61.6% pay gap, reflecting similar disparities in high-paying roles.

Despite the concerning figures, there are signs of improvement. WGEA’s analysis indicates that 56% of employers have reduced their gender pay gaps over the past year. Companies that are making progress are doing so by implementing targeted policies such as:

• Providing access to paid parental leave for both men and women

• Ensuring superannuation is paid on parental leave

• Actively supporting flexible work arrangements and return-to-work programs

• Redesigning managerial roles to allow for part-time and job-sharing options

"It’s promising to see the big increase in the number of employers working to understand what is driving their gender pay gap," Wooldridge noted. "Over the past year, employers have told us that the publication of gender pay gap data is a catalyst to assess gender-based differences in all areas of their workplace."