❓ Hon. Alanna Clohesy questions the Minister for Commerce regarding the gender pay gap in WA and the government's efforts to address it. The Minister acknowledges the inequity and outlines measures taken to promote pay equity and support women in non-traditional industries.
AnsweredQoN 1003Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
AVERAGE FULL-TIME EARNINGS
1003. Hon ALANNA CLOHESY to the Minister
for Commerce:
I refer to question without notice
983 asked on Thursday, 15 September 2016.
(1) What are the
reasons for the difference of $442 a week between average adult male full-time
ordinary earnings and average adult female full-time ordinary earnings in Western
Australia?
(2) Does the
government find it acceptable that men earn $442 a week more than women on
average in Western Australia?
(3) What measures has the government
put in place to address this inequity?
1003. Hon ALANNA CLOHESY to the Minister
for Commerce:
I refer to question without notice
983 asked on Thursday, 15 September 2016.
(1) What are the
reasons for the difference of $442 a week between average adult male full-time
ordinary earnings and average adult female full-time ordinary earnings in Western
Australia?
(2) Does the
government find it acceptable that men earn $442 a week more than women on
average in Western Australia?
(3) What measures has the government
put in place to address this inequity?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
notice of the question.
(1) Amongst other
things, the reasons are the over-representation of women in lower paying
occupations and part-time and casual work; the availability or otherwise of
flexible working arrangements and affordable childcare arrangements; breaks in
employment due to caring responsibilities impacting on the career advancement
of women; and, in Western Australia, the high wages in the male-dominated
mining and resources sector and associated sectors influencing the gender pay
gap.
(2) No.
(3) Over the term
of this government, it has dedicated substantial resources to addressing pay
equity through the pay equity unit in the Department of Commerce, which had the
role of assisting employers to reduce barriers to workforce participation and
career progression for women and to raise community awareness of gender pay
issues with the aim of reducing Western Australia's gender pay gap. The
federal Workplace Gender Equality Agency now has nationwide responsibility for
promoting improved gender equality in Australian workplaces, and all private
sector employers with 100 or more staff report to the WGEA annually against a series
of gender equality indicators.
Broad
strategies to address the gender pay gap have also been delivered by the Western
Australian government in other areas. Recent examples of such initiatives
include the expanding career options for women scholarship program, which
provides scholarships for women who are planning to take up training in
non-traditional industries, and the government's online pledge to drive
greater support for women to pursue careers in science, technology,
engineering, mathematics and trades. Training and employing more women in these
fields will assist to address the gender imbalance. The government has dedicated
$4 million in funding to boost STEM education in WA primary and secondary
schools and $2.7 million for new teaching and learning resources for all public
primary schools. Investment in STEM education helps prepare both boys and girls
for the future in a rapidly advancing world.
notice of the question.
(1) Amongst other
things, the reasons are the over-representation of women in lower paying
occupations and part-time and casual work; the availability or otherwise of
flexible working arrangements and affordable childcare arrangements; breaks in
employment due to caring responsibilities impacting on the career advancement
of women; and, in Western Australia, the high wages in the male-dominated
mining and resources sector and associated sectors influencing the gender pay
gap.
(2) No.
(3) Over the term
of this government, it has dedicated substantial resources to addressing pay
equity through the pay equity unit in the Department of Commerce, which had the
role of assisting employers to reduce barriers to workforce participation and
career progression for women and to raise community awareness of gender pay
issues with the aim of reducing Western Australia's gender pay gap. The
federal Workplace Gender Equality Agency now has nationwide responsibility for
promoting improved gender equality in Australian workplaces, and all private
sector employers with 100 or more staff report to the WGEA annually against a series
of gender equality indicators.
Broad
strategies to address the gender pay gap have also been delivered by the Western
Australian government in other areas. Recent examples of such initiatives
include the expanding career options for women scholarship program, which
provides scholarships for women who are planning to take up training in
non-traditional industries, and the government's online pledge to drive
greater support for women to pursue careers in science, technology,
engineering, mathematics and trades. Training and employing more women in these
fields will assist to address the gender imbalance. The government has dedicated
$4 million in funding to boost STEM education in WA primary and secondary
schools and $2.7 million for new teaching and learning resources for all public
primary schools. Investment in STEM education helps prepare both boys and girls
for the future in a rapidly advancing world.
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