Time warp again

Despite decades of change, the continuing pay gap between women and men suggests the equality battles of bygone eras still have a way to go. According to evidence heard by the House of Representatives Employment and Workplace Relations Committee, male graduates in architecture, medicine, physical sciences, social sciences and a number of other fields start on at least $3000 a year more than female grads. Another study, comparing car mechanics with hairdressers, found the grease monkeys took home $120 a week more than snippers, rising to $170 with over-time. As for (mostly male) store hands, they get paid more than (mostly female) packers, something a test case at the Australian Industrial Relations Commission failed to change. These are the kinds of facts that have prompted the committee to conduct an inquiry into the gender pay gap. Because, despite decades of anti-discrimination law in Australia, the gap remains stubbornly wide - and may even be getting wider. According to OECD figures, the pay gap in Australia is in line with the average across industrialised nations, and following a similar trend. The gap has closed dramatically since the 1960s, but progress has stalled since the 1990s. Today, the normal average weekly earnings (excluding over-time) of women in Australia are 16.2 per cent less than those of men, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics in May this year. The impact is not just on the weekly pay packet. Women retire with far less superannuation. Seven out of 10 women aged 45-60 have less than $25,000 super.

Despite decades of change, the continuing pay gap between women and men suggests the equality battles of bygone eras still have a way to go. According to evidence heard by the House of Representatives Employment and Workplace Relations Committee, male graduates in architecture, medicine, physical sciences, social sciences and a number of other fields start on at least $3000 a year more than female grads. Another study, comparing car mechanics with hairdressers, found the grease monkeys took home $120 a week more than snippers, rising to $170 with over-time. As for (mostly male) store ...  [+] Show more