A decade of reporting reveals gains and gridlock in gender equality

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s (WGEA) latest progress report, tabled in Parliament yesterday by Minister for Women Senator Katy Gallagher, reveals both striking progress and persistent roadblocks on the path to gender equality in Australia’s workplaces.

A decade since reporting began, 90% of private sector employers now have a gender equality strategy or policy in place, an impressive leap from just two-thirds ten years ago. Senator Gallagher welcomed the shift but cautioned that complacency remains a threat.

“After 10 years of WGEA driving change, we are seeing real progress, with more employers focusing on gender equality, more flexible workplaces, and more women in the workforce,” she said. “But the data is clear: too many workplaces still lack women in leadership, industry gender segregation remains a stubborn challenge and more must be done to prevent workplace harassment.”

The progress is a testament to the long-term impact of mandatory employer reporting, according to WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge.

“A decade of employer reporting to WGEA has created a world-leading dataset. It shows us where employers and industries are making improvements that have contributed to the meaningful reduction in Australia’s gender pay gap and a more gender equal experience at work,” she said.

The overall gender pay gap has narrowed by 7.5 percentage points, from 28.6% to 21.1%. Employers are increasingly adopting policies that support equal remuneration, flexible working arrangements, paid parental leave, and protections for staff experiencing family and domestic violence. Consultation with employees, once rare, has become widespread.

Yet, progress has not been universal. One in four private sector companies still has no women in leadership positions, 26% of Boards remain entirely male dominated, and gender segregation across industries continues to drive inequities in pay and opportunity.

“The outlook is positive, but change is frustratingly slow,” Wooldridge noted. “Gender segregation of industries and occupations is a key driver of the gender pay gap. The results show a stubborn lack of progress across all industries. Addressing it is the next critical frontier to improving gender equality and closing the gender pay gap.”

Recent reforms aim to turn up the pressure on employers. From next year, gender pay gaps at an individual employer level will be published, creating public accountability designed to accelerate change. Large employers will also be required to set and meet gender equality targets within three years.

The impact of reporting is undeniable. Since its introduction, an additional 1.6 million employees are now covered by gender equality reporting, bringing the total to 5.5 million Australians.

The proportion of the workforce in gender-dominated industries has dropped to 51%, and men are slowly shifting norms by taking more parental leave, with their share rising to 17% in the past two years. Employers conducting gender pay gap analyses have nearly tripled, from 24% to 68%, while comprehensive gender equality strategies particularly in the area of family and domestic violence policies have surged.

Senator Gallagher stressed the significance of these shifts but emphasised the urgency of continued action.

“This report shows both how far we’ve come and the work ahead. And it shows that change doesn’t happen by accident, it takes commitment, transparency and action,” she said. “Employers need to redouble their efforts and keep working towards gender equality, because it isn’t a ‘nice to have’, it’s essential for a fair, strong and competitive economy.”

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