Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

In February the Workplace Gender Equality Agency published employer gender pay gaps for the first time. I know Senator Canavan was not particularly supportive of the fact that the gender pay gap data was released, but it is important for greater transparency. That is in part what helps reduce the gender pay gap. In every industry in Australia, the median of what a woman is paid is less than the median of what a man is paid, both for base salary and for total remuneration. That is why it is so important that we continue to press for greater transparency to help close the gender pay gap.

The data and findings released by the WGEA demonstrate that continued action is required to close gender pay gaps and advance gender equality in our workplaces. Key to this is valuing the feminised sectors. That is why we are committed to funding increased wages for aged-care workers, child education workers and early childhood workers.