2018-11-13
The latest scorecard from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency shows an alarming continuation of the gender pay gap that won’t be closed for decades, Greens spokesperson for women, Senator Larissa Waters said.
“We’ve still got a 16.2 per cent gap in what men and women get paid - it’s clearly still far better to be a bloke in this country when it comes to salary,” Senator Waters said.
“There has been a small, welcome decline overall, but the fact men still earn $25000 more every year on average than women is outrageous.
“There is no good reason for that and the only explanation for it is sexism.”
Senator Waters said the report shows while more employers are conducting pay gap analyses, more than 40 per cent are still not following them up with action.
“The WGEA needs to be given more teeth to force employers to plug the ‘action gap’ once they realise they have a pay gap,” Senator Waters said.
“The Greens' bill to ban ‘pay gag clauses’ which are used to disguise the gender pay gap would also help, as would our plans to encourage more men to take parental leave, boost women’s financial security and make workplaces more family friendly.
“We need leadership on this issue but instead we have a PM who hasn’t said a word on gender quality, not even on the epidemic of domestic violence which is killing more than one woman a week.
“If Mr Morrison can’t stand up for 50 per cent of the population he has no place being Prime Minister. He should stop delaying his inevitable sacking by the Australian people and call an election.”
Media Contact: Karina Natt 0419 626 725