Gender pay equity research

Reports about gender pay equity, equal remuneration and the care and community sector.

On this page:

Overview

The President announced our intention to engage in a research project about occupational segregation and gender undervaluation. The research identified priority jobs and industries affected by gender pay equity issues.

Read the statements related to the research:

Gender pay equity was considered as part of the Annual Wage Review 2022-23. The issues identified were too broad and complex to be resolved through the review. The Expert Panel set out a program of gender pay equity research. See the Annual Wage Review Decision 2022–23.

Two stages of research were conducted:

  • Stage 1: Gender-based Occupational Segregation: A National Data Profile, and
  • Stage 2: Gender pay equity research.

Stage 1 report: Gender-based Occupational Segregation: A National Data Profile

This report examines gender-based occupational segregation in Australia. It uses a data-driven approach based on the:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census, and
  • 2021 Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours.

The research identified 144 detailed occupational classifications where women comprised over 60% of the workforce. The report focused on a subset of 29 priority occupations that met 3 criteria:

  • large (containing over 10,000 people)
  • highly feminised occupations (over 80% female), and
  • in feminised industries (over 60% female).

These industries employ over 1.1 million workers, constituting over 9% of the workforce. The report identified 13 modern awards used to set their pay.

The research was undertaken by the Social Policy Research Centre at the University of New South Wales. The authors include:

  • Natasha Cortis
  • Yuvisthi Naidoo
  • Melissa Wong
  • Bruce Bradbury

For more information read the:

Stage 2 report: Gender pay equity research

This report examines the history of 12 of the 13 awards identified in the Stage 1 report. It looks at whether a comprehensive work value assessment has been undertaken previously across classifications. It also considers if the assessment included other indicators of historic gender-based undervaluation.

For more information read the:

Annual Wage Review 2023–24 and the Gender undervaluation – priority awards review

The Annual Wage Review 2023–24 considered the research reports. We invited interested parties to comment on the research. Their submissions are available on the Annual Wage Review 2023–24 page.

The Expert Panel identified 5 awards where minimum wage rates could be increased on work value grounds. These are the:

  • Children’s Services Award 2010
  • Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010
  • Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Award 2020, and
  • Pharmacy Industry Award 2020.

Gender undervaluation proceedings

The panel decided to initiate proceedings pursuant to section 157 of the Fair Work Act 2009. The aim is to determine if a wage increase is needed to remedy potential gender undervaluation. For more information see the:

Gender undervaluation proceedings research

We conducted research and prepared information notes to support the review. These are available below:

We engaged Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research and UTS Business School to conduct a literature review. This work supports the review of priority occupations in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Award 2020. The Literature Review examines:

  • the intersection of ‘invisible’ cultural skills and gender-based skills
  • the histories of the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health sector and domestic and caring work performed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women
  • the forced indentured labour of Indigenous women in such roles and how these may have impacted wage fixation under the Award or any related predecessor awards, and
  • data on the employment of indigenous women in the priority occupations.

Read the full report A Hidden History of Aboriginal Women’s Work in the Community Controlled Health Sector (pdf) (19 November 2024).

Parties were invited to comment on the research as part of proceedings.

More information

To learn more about the review or other gender undervaluation work see:

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