How to find the results released today

Use WGEA's Employer Data Explorer to search and compare Commonwealth public sector employer gender pay gaps: /www.wgea.gov.au/Data-Explorer/Employer

Scroll to the 'Dashboard filters' and select "Public" in the sector drop down. The employer names filter will then display only the Commonwealth public sector employers. 

MEDIA RELEASE

-- Nearly 1 in 2 employers (45%) have a median pay gap in target range of +/-5% --

-- More than half of employers reduced their gender pay gap in the past 12 months --

-- Commonwealth public sector pay gap of 6.4% means men earn, on average, $8,200 more than women each year --

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) published the gender pay gaps for 120 public sector employers and 2 corporate groups for the first time today following legislative changes in 2023. 

Australians can now view the gender pay gaps for well-known Commonwealth public sector employers such as Australia Post, the ATO, the Reserve Bank and the CSIRO along with dozens of other Federal Government departments, agencies and businesses on the WGEA website. 

The information is available on the Data Explorer on WGEA’s website and in the Commonwealth Public Sector Gender Equality Scorecard: Key employer results from 2023 report. 

Today’s release follows WGEA’s publication of private sector employer gender pay gaps in February 2024 and March 2025. Commonwealth public sector employers report to a different timeline to the private sector and this is the first time that WGEA is able to publish their information. 

“Releasing public sector gender pay gaps for the first time today places a spotlight on these employers, like it has done in the private sector. This enhanced transparency and accountability is a catalyst for further action,” WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge said.

WGEA’s analysis of the results reveals lower pay gaps in Commonwealth public sector employers, compared to private sector employers. 

Half of Commonwealth public sector employers have a median total remuneration gender pay gap lower than 4.8%, compared to 8.9% in the private sector. 45% have a median total remuneration gender pay gap in the target range (within +/-5%), compared to 31% in the private sector.

Ms Wooldridge said the results point to how progress can be achieved when employers use long-term and deliberate actions that address gender equality.

“The Commonwealth public sector has achieved gender-balance in the composition of the workforce, at managerial level and in the upper quartile of remuneration. This is a critical driver of the lower gender pay gaps reported today,” Ms Wooldridge said. 

The results also show that employers are taking action to improve equality in their workplaces. 

“More than half (51%) of employers improved their median total remuneration gender pay gap in the past 12 months,” Ms Wooldridge said.

“Pleasingly we have also seen large rises in the number of employers conducting a gender pay gap analysis, acting on the results and consulting with employees to understand their experience at work.

“These actions are crucial steps to help employers gain greater understanding of the drivers of their individual gender pay gaps and to implement relevant and evidence-informed actions to address them.”

WGEA’s analysis shows the contributors to the gender pay gap – including salary settings, discretionary payments and workforce composition – differ in APS and non-APS employers. Half of the APS employers have pay gaps above 3.2%, but this increases to 9.8% for the cohort of non-APS employers. The non-APS result is also above the mid-point for the Australian private sector of 8.9%.

While the results point to progress, some areas for improvement remain. 

Men account for just 11% of all primary carers leave taken. 49% of employers still have a gender pay gap in favour of men and more employers can prioritise consultation with employees on sexual harassment risks and mitigation.

“Although we are seeing positive results and progress, there’s still work to do,” Ms Wooldridge said.

“Workplace gender equality benefits everyone, so it is important that barriers for men are also addressed. With changes in access to parental leave now enacted, Commonwealth public sector employers need to work deliberately and strategically to drive cultural change that removes real or perceived penalties for taking time out for caring roles and ensure more men have confidence to take primary carer’s leave.

“Commonwealth public sector employers should draw on WGEA’s results to compare their performance with the broader sector, assess areas of opportunity, and refine action plans to ensure their workplaces are fair and safe for all employees.

“Commonwealth public sector employers should be recognised for their hard work to improve gender equality in their workplaces and achieving gender balance across the entire public sector workforce, as well as at all management levels and remuneration quartiles and in governing bodies.” 

Additional background for media

In May 2025, WGEA has published Commonwealth public sector results for:

• individual employer median base salary and total remuneration gender pay gaps 
• the gender composition of each workforce
• gender composition by pay quartile.

WGEA has not released the average gender pay gaps, or the average total remuneration per pay quartile, for Commonwealth public sector employers. This is because the 2023 gender pay gaps do not include CEO, Head of Business and Casual Manager remuneration. The legislative changes require this additional information to be reported to WGEA for first time in 2025, relating to the 2024 reporting period. WGEA will use this information to calculate and release average gender pay gaps in 2026.

Some employers have also provided a link to an Employer Statement that gives context to their gender pay gap, what they are doing to understand what’s driving it and identifies the actions they are taking to further address it.