Media Release
Gender pay gap data highlights need for sustained, collective action
4 March 2025
Closing gender pay gaps requires deliberate collaboration at organisational, sector, and national levels, Champions of Change Coalition emphasised today, following the release of the latest employer gender pay gap data for private sector organisations by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA).
The Coalition’s 2024 Annual Impact Report—updated to include private sector Member* gender pay gap data—reinforces the fact that organisations cannot close gender pay gaps by working alone.
Champions of Change Coalition Founder Elizabeth Broderick AO said:
“For 15 years, Champions of Change Coalition and our Members have worked to advance gender equality across every level of leadership and address the national disparity in economic outcomes for women.
“Today’s gender pay gap data reminds us that with focused leadership and collective action, progress is possible. Together, we are working to ensure Australia becomes a fairer country for everyone, where capability rather than gender determines opportunities, earning potential and financial security.”
Analysis of Member gender pay gap data reveals the following:
- Gender pay gaps exist across almost all Member organisations, with pay gaps in favour of men reflected in both average and median base salary and total remuneration.
- Direct year-on-year comparisons of progress are not possible due to changes in the scope of WGEA’s reporting for this year, in particular the inclusion of CEO data for the first time. Despite scope changes, 64% of Members reduced their median base salary gender pay gap and 55% reduced their median total remuneration gender pay gap.
- The inclusion of average gender pay gap data in this year’s dataset reinforces patterns of disparity and the challenges of historically gendered occupations:
- Higher average gender pay gaps than median pay gaps in organisations points to concentrations of men in top-paying roles.
- By contrast, higher median gender pay gaps than average gender pay gaps in organisations points to women’s overrepresentation in lower-paying roles.
- Member organisations with gender balanced workforces (40-60% women) still report pay gaps, highlighting that increasing women’s representation at all levels as well as across key roles is critical for closing gender pay gaps.
- Total remuneration pay gaps are consistently higher than base salary pay gaps pointing to men’s greater access to bonuses, overtime, and allowances, often driven by historical expectations that see women undertaking the lion’s share of unpaid caring and household responsibilities, which can limit access to discretionary pay opportunities.
While year-on-year organisational data shows progress, the focus remains on driving an overall downward trend at sector and national level.
CEO of Champions of Change Coalition Annika Freyer said:
“Gender pay gaps highlight issues that are hard-wired into the Australian workforce—like unequal access to leadership roles, out-dated assumptions about suitable careers for women and men, pay differences across industries, and the impact of caregiving responsibilities on women’s careers, opportunities and pay.
“The data reinforces that transparency, collaboration, and sustained leadership action can make a difference in addressing the drivers of gender pay gaps, while building inclusive workplaces that unlock the full potential of all people.”
The Coalition’s 2024 Impact Report demonstrates how it has supported its Members over the past year with tools, resources, and collaborative initiatives designed to address gender pay gaps across industries. Highlights include: a more sophisticated dashboard for tracking progress on gender equality at an organisational level; Closing gender pay gaps: Our actions and commitment, a framework for understanding and responding to gender pay gaps; and FOCUSED on Everyday Respect, a resource designed to foster psychologically safe, respectful, and inclusive workplace cultures where everyone can thrive.
The Coalition also established a Champions of Change Rail Group in 2024, focused on improving women’s representation in the rail sector, joining existing sector-based Groups such as Property, Sport, Energy, Insurance, Consulting, and Fire and Emergency.
AustralianSuper Chief Executive Paul Schroder said:
“We want to ensure everyone has a fair shot at achieving their best financial position in retirement. When women earn less over their careers, they have fewer savings for retirement. By tackling the dynamics that underpin gender pay gaps, we can help more women build a secure financial future.”
Convenor of the Champions of Change Coalition James Fazzino said:
“If we’re serious about tackling Australia’s innovation and productivity challenges, we need women fully engaged in, equally contributing to and benefiting from our economy. Closing gender pay gaps will ensure fairness, build economic strength and help future-proof Australia’s workforce.”
The 2024 Annual Impact Report, featuring Coalition Member gender pay gap data, is now available at the Coalition’s website.
🔗 Explore our latest gender pay gap data and resources here: https://championsofchangecoalition.org/resource/working-together-to-close-gender-pay-gaps/
* Members refers to eligible private sector Members who reported to WGEA in 2023-24 and shared their data with the Coalition. Public Sector gender pay gap data will be released by WGEA later this year.
For more information, please contact:
Rita Zonius, Communications Director, Champions of Change Coalition
m: 0434 608 829 e: rita.zonius@championsofchangecoalition.org
About The Champions of Change Coalition:
Champions of Change Coalition includes CEOs, Secretaries of Government Departments, Non-Executive Directors, and community leaders who believe gender equality is a major business, economic, societal, and human rights issue. Champions of Change Coalition is a globally recognised, innovative strategy for achieving gender equality, advancing more and diverse women in leadership, and building respectful and inclusive workplaces. Established in 2010 by Elizabeth Broderick AO, our mission is to achieve inclusive gender equality across workplaces by 2030 and a significant and sustainable increase in the representation of women in leadership.
