❓ A parliamentary question regarding the WA government's approach to addressing the gender pay gap, specifically concerning the Pay Equity Unit and new initiatives. The Minister responds by stating the unit was not abolished and existing initiatives are successful.
AnsweredQoN 878Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
PAY EQUITY UNIT — DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
I refer to the abolition of the pay equity unit, and note the minister’s advice in response to my previous question that the audit tools and resources developed by the pay equity unit under the previous government will continue to be used. (1) Given that WA continues to have the worst gender pay gap in Australia, will the minister be introducing any new initiatives to tackle our appalling pay equity gap? (2) If yes, will he please provide details on any initiatives? (3) If no to (1), why not? Hon HELEN MORTON
I refer to the abolition of the pay equity unit, and note the minister’s advice in response to my previous question that the audit tools and resources developed by the pay equity unit under the previous government will continue to be used. (1) Given that WA continues to have the worst gender pay gap in Australia, will the minister be introducing any new initiatives to tackle our appalling pay equity gap? (2) If yes, will he please provide details on any initiatives? (3) If no to (1), why not? Hon HELEN MORTON
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The government has not abolished the pay equity unit. The Department of Commerce is currently undertaking a range of pay equity initiatives to address Western Australia’s gender pay gap. (2) These initiatives have been successful in encouraging Western Australian organisations to address pay equity at the workplace level through voluntary strategies, including pay equity audits. Due to the success of these initiatives, the Department of Commerce is currently focusing on continuing these programs. It is worth noting that, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings figures—6302.0, which is the catalogue number—Western Australian women are currently the highest paid women in any of the states, and are second only in average weekly earnings to women in the Australian Capital Territory. Western Australia also has the second highest labour force participation rate for women, at 60.5 per cent, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures—6202.0. (3) Not applicable.
(1) Given that WA continues to have the worst gender pay gap in Australia, will the minister be introducing any new initiatives to tackle our appalling pay equity gap? (2) If yes, will he please provide details on any initiatives? (3) If no to (1), why not? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The government has not abolished the pay equity unit. The Department of Commerce is currently undertaking a range of pay equity initiatives to address Western Australia’s gender pay gap. (2) These initiatives have been successful in encouraging Western Australian organisations to address pay equity at the workplace level through voluntary strategies, including pay equity audits. Due to the success of these initiatives, the Department of Commerce is currently focusing on continuing these programs. It is worth noting that, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings figures—6302.0, which is the catalogue number—Western Australian women are currently the highest paid women in any of the states, and are second only in average weekly earnings to women in the Australian Capital Territory. Western Australia also has the second highest labour force participation rate for women, at 60.5 per cent, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures—6202.0. (3) Not applicable.
(2) If yes, will he please provide details on any initiatives? (3) If no to (1), why not? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The government has not abolished the pay equity unit. The Department of Commerce is currently undertaking a range of pay equity initiatives to address Western Australia’s gender pay gap. (2) These initiatives have been successful in encouraging Western Australian organisations to address pay equity at the workplace level through voluntary strategies, including pay equity audits. Due to the success of these initiatives, the Department of Commerce is currently focusing on continuing these programs. It is worth noting that, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings figures—6302.0, which is the catalogue number—Western Australian women are currently the highest paid women in any of the states, and are second only in average weekly earnings to women in the Australian Capital Territory. Western Australia also has the second highest labour force participation rate for women, at 60.5 per cent, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures—6202.0. (3) Not applicable.
(3) If no to (1), why not? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The government has not abolished the pay equity unit. The Department of Commerce is currently undertaking a range of pay equity initiatives to address Western Australia’s gender pay gap. (2) These initiatives have been successful in encouraging Western Australian organisations to address pay equity at the workplace level through voluntary strategies, including pay equity audits. Due to the success of these initiatives, the Department of Commerce is currently focusing on continuing these programs. It is worth noting that, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings figures—6302.0, which is the catalogue number—Western Australian women are currently the highest paid women in any of the states, and are second only in average weekly earnings to women in the Australian Capital Territory. Western Australia also has the second highest labour force participation rate for women, at 60.5 per cent, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures—6202.0. (3) Not applicable.
Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The government has not abolished the pay equity unit. The Department of Commerce is currently undertaking a range of pay equity initiatives to address Western Australia’s gender pay gap. (2) These initiatives have been successful in encouraging Western Australian organisations to address pay equity at the workplace level through voluntary strategies, including pay equity audits. Due to the success of these initiatives, the Department of Commerce is currently focusing on continuing these programs. It is worth noting that, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings figures—6302.0, which is the catalogue number—Western Australian women are currently the highest paid women in any of the states, and are second only in average weekly earnings to women in the Australian Capital Territory. Western Australia also has the second highest labour force participation rate for women, at 60.5 per cent, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures—6202.0. (3) Not applicable.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The government has not abolished the pay equity unit. The Department of Commerce is currently undertaking a range of pay equity initiatives to address Western Australia’s gender pay gap. (2) These initiatives have been successful in encouraging Western Australian organisations to address pay equity at the workplace level through voluntary strategies, including pay equity audits. Due to the success of these initiatives, the Department of Commerce is currently focusing on continuing these programs. It is worth noting that, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings figures—6302.0, which is the catalogue number—Western Australian women are currently the highest paid women in any of the states, and are second only in average weekly earnings to women in the Australian Capital Territory. Western Australia also has the second highest labour force participation rate for women, at 60.5 per cent, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures—6202.0. (3) Not applicable.
(1) The government has not abolished the pay equity unit. The Department of Commerce is currently undertaking a range of pay equity initiatives to address Western Australia’s gender pay gap. (2) These initiatives have been successful in encouraging Western Australian organisations to address pay equity at the workplace level through voluntary strategies, including pay equity audits. Due to the success of these initiatives, the Department of Commerce is currently focusing on continuing these programs. It is worth noting that, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings figures—6302.0, which is the catalogue number—Western Australian women are currently the highest paid women in any of the states, and are second only in average weekly earnings to women in the Australian Capital Territory. Western Australia also has the second highest labour force participation rate for women, at 60.5 per cent, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures—6202.0. (3) Not applicable.
(2) These initiatives have been successful in encouraging Western Australian organisations to address pay equity at the workplace level through voluntary strategies, including pay equity audits. Due to the success of these initiatives, the Department of Commerce is currently focusing on continuing these programs. It is worth noting that, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings figures—6302.0, which is the catalogue number—Western Australian women are currently the highest paid women in any of the states, and are second only in average weekly earnings to women in the Australian Capital Territory. Western Australia also has the second highest labour force participation rate for women, at 60.5 per cent, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures—6202.0. (3) Not applicable.
(3) Not applicable.
(1) Given that WA continues to have the worst gender pay gap in Australia, will the minister be introducing any new initiatives to tackle our appalling pay equity gap? (2) If yes, will he please provide details on any initiatives? (3) If no to (1), why not? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The government has not abolished the pay equity unit. The Department of Commerce is currently undertaking a range of pay equity initiatives to address Western Australia’s gender pay gap. (2) These initiatives have been successful in encouraging Western Australian organisations to address pay equity at the workplace level through voluntary strategies, including pay equity audits. Due to the success of these initiatives, the Department of Commerce is currently focusing on continuing these programs. It is worth noting that, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings figures—6302.0, which is the catalogue number—Western Australian women are currently the highest paid women in any of the states, and are second only in average weekly earnings to women in the Australian Capital Territory. Western Australia also has the second highest labour force participation rate for women, at 60.5 per cent, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures—6202.0. (3) Not applicable.
(2) If yes, will he please provide details on any initiatives? (3) If no to (1), why not? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The government has not abolished the pay equity unit. The Department of Commerce is currently undertaking a range of pay equity initiatives to address Western Australia’s gender pay gap. (2) These initiatives have been successful in encouraging Western Australian organisations to address pay equity at the workplace level through voluntary strategies, including pay equity audits. Due to the success of these initiatives, the Department of Commerce is currently focusing on continuing these programs. It is worth noting that, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings figures—6302.0, which is the catalogue number—Western Australian women are currently the highest paid women in any of the states, and are second only in average weekly earnings to women in the Australian Capital Territory. Western Australia also has the second highest labour force participation rate for women, at 60.5 per cent, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures—6202.0. (3) Not applicable.
(3) If no to (1), why not? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The government has not abolished the pay equity unit. The Department of Commerce is currently undertaking a range of pay equity initiatives to address Western Australia’s gender pay gap. (2) These initiatives have been successful in encouraging Western Australian organisations to address pay equity at the workplace level through voluntary strategies, including pay equity audits. Due to the success of these initiatives, the Department of Commerce is currently focusing on continuing these programs. It is worth noting that, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings figures—6302.0, which is the catalogue number—Western Australian women are currently the highest paid women in any of the states, and are second only in average weekly earnings to women in the Australian Capital Territory. Western Australia also has the second highest labour force participation rate for women, at 60.5 per cent, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures—6202.0. (3) Not applicable.
Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The government has not abolished the pay equity unit. The Department of Commerce is currently undertaking a range of pay equity initiatives to address Western Australia’s gender pay gap. (2) These initiatives have been successful in encouraging Western Australian organisations to address pay equity at the workplace level through voluntary strategies, including pay equity audits. Due to the success of these initiatives, the Department of Commerce is currently focusing on continuing these programs. It is worth noting that, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings figures—6302.0, which is the catalogue number—Western Australian women are currently the highest paid women in any of the states, and are second only in average weekly earnings to women in the Australian Capital Territory. Western Australia also has the second highest labour force participation rate for women, at 60.5 per cent, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures—6202.0. (3) Not applicable.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) The government has not abolished the pay equity unit. The Department of Commerce is currently undertaking a range of pay equity initiatives to address Western Australia’s gender pay gap. (2) These initiatives have been successful in encouraging Western Australian organisations to address pay equity at the workplace level through voluntary strategies, including pay equity audits. Due to the success of these initiatives, the Department of Commerce is currently focusing on continuing these programs. It is worth noting that, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings figures—6302.0, which is the catalogue number—Western Australian women are currently the highest paid women in any of the states, and are second only in average weekly earnings to women in the Australian Capital Territory. Western Australia also has the second highest labour force participation rate for women, at 60.5 per cent, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures—6202.0. (3) Not applicable.
(1) The government has not abolished the pay equity unit. The Department of Commerce is currently undertaking a range of pay equity initiatives to address Western Australia’s gender pay gap. (2) These initiatives have been successful in encouraging Western Australian organisations to address pay equity at the workplace level through voluntary strategies, including pay equity audits. Due to the success of these initiatives, the Department of Commerce is currently focusing on continuing these programs. It is worth noting that, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings figures—6302.0, which is the catalogue number—Western Australian women are currently the highest paid women in any of the states, and are second only in average weekly earnings to women in the Australian Capital Territory. Western Australia also has the second highest labour force participation rate for women, at 60.5 per cent, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures—6202.0. (3) Not applicable.
(2) These initiatives have been successful in encouraging Western Australian organisations to address pay equity at the workplace level through voluntary strategies, including pay equity audits. Due to the success of these initiatives, the Department of Commerce is currently focusing on continuing these programs. It is worth noting that, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics average weekly earnings figures—6302.0, which is the catalogue number—Western Australian women are currently the highest paid women in any of the states, and are second only in average weekly earnings to women in the Australian Capital Territory. Western Australia also has the second highest labour force participation rate for women, at 60.5 per cent, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures—6202.0. (3) Not applicable.
(3) Not applicable.
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