Gender pay gap reaches decades-high on mining boom

The gender pay gap has reached a decades-high as bumper packets in the male-dominated mining sector lead to a rapid increase in the average man’s pay.

A report by CommSec shows that Australian men, on average, earn more than $13,200 than women. This is the biggest gender wage gap for 28 years, and is unlikely to close while the resources boom continues, the broker says.

The report finds that women take home just $1,165 per week; for men the average pay packet is $1,417. Women take home 82.1% of the male wage – a 25-year low, CommSec says.

Workers in the mining industry were found to receive $2,235 per week, versus those in the utilities sector at $1,649 and professional and technical services at $1,600.

By contrast, retail workers get just $979, workers in accommodation and food get $980 and arts and recreation employees earn $1,203 per week, the ABS said.

According to recently released Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, average weekly earnings for August were up 5.3% year on year, to $1,322.

The seasonally adjusted quarterly rise was 1.2%.

Private sector wages rose 5.7% for the year and public sector wages lifted just 4.1%, the ABS said.

The report comes amid industrial unrest in Victoria, with the state Government and the Victorian Hospitals Industrial Association calling for Fair Work Australia to terminate industrial action by nurses, who are fighting for an 18.5% pay rise over three years and eight months.

A separate spat between the Baillieu Government and Community and Public Sector Union has emerged, over the public sector’s decision to proceed with 63 work bans in a fight for a 6% annual pay rise.