Australia, U.K. Rank Last on Global Gender Pay Gap Reporting

(Bloomberg) -- Australia and the U.K. have ranked equal last in analysis of the gender pay gap reporting in six countries, according to an international study. Spain came first.

Despite Australia being an early world leader in legislating for gender equality, it lacked meaningful change, the report titled “Bridging the gap?” by King’s College London and The Australian National University found.

The gender pay gap for full-time employees in Australia is 14.2%, only marginally better than at the turn of the century, and 30% for all employees, the report’s authors said. Women in Australia have to work an extra 61 days to earn the same as the average man.

“After nearly four decades of gender equality reporting in Australia, many organizations have gender equality policies in place, but evidence suggests that many policies are ineffective,” the report concluded. 

The study used 11 indicators to rank women’s pay relative to men in Australia, France, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and the U.K. 

Australia and the U.K. scored four out of 11 each, while Spain scored eight-and-half. France came second (8), followed by South Africa (5.5) and Sweden (5).

Australia’s Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 was essential to highlight evidence of gender inequality, but was not sufficient to achieve significant change due to the absence of any mandate for positive action, the report’s authors said.

In a companion report, ANU researchers outlined policies to overhaul Australia’s gender pay gap reporting legislation. They suggested publishing the gender pay gaps of individual organizations; nominating minimum performance standards that require firms to reduce pay inequality, and using sanctions in the 2012 act against those that don’t comply with or meet minimum standards.

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