Australian women's education has come a long way since they were first able to attend the country's universities in the 1880s. By the 1970s, one in three students was female; now, they make up more than half.
Today, one in two women aged 25 to 34 has a bachelor's degree, while just over a third of men in the same age group have a bachelor's degree. Figures revealed by the Herald show girls also significantly outperform boys in leaving exams and at university.
Australian women are among the most educated in the world.
In college, we will find that many young ladies are very good in their studies and performance. However, according to the current salary comparison between men and women in Australia, women are still at a disadvantage.
According to official data, the average income of Australian women is 13.8% lower than that of men, about $255 less per week. The gap is largest in Western Australia, as high as 21.2%, and the gap in South Australia is smaller at only 7.4%.
Women working full-time earn an average of $1591.2 a week, while men earn an average of $1846.5 a week.
In fact, this problem has been around for a long time, but in recent years, the gap has been gradually narrowing.
Let’s take a look at the data differences between states! The biggest gap is in Western Australia. This state is mainly mining-based, with more male employees and an obvious income gap.
Only Tasmania, Canberra and South Australia have income gaps below 10% in Australia, with Canberra and South Australia being the most balanced.
Looking at the industry sectors, the biggest gap is in the fields of professional skills, science, and technical services. Followed by the medical and health, social assistance and financial insurance fields.
The Australian government has been working hard to eliminate this difference, but there are many practical factors hindering it.
Associate Professor Elizabeth Hill at the University of Sydney is deputy director of the Gender Equality in Work Life Research Programme. She said the gender pay gap began quickly due to a variety of factors, including gender discrimination and low pay levels in female-dominated sectors.
The gender pay gap is smallest among employees under the age of 20, increases sharply among employees in their 20s and early 30s, and widens again between the ages of 35 and 44. The gap is largest among those aged 45 to 54, at almost 18%.
Hill said family factors also begin to influence women's work decisions early in their careers.
A key economic challenge in Australia - and an issue in the national budget - is finding ways to ensure that tertiary-educated women can work in jobs commensurate with their skills and aspirations.
Among other things, families need affordable and accessible child care, incentives for both parents to participate in child care, and an equal division of labor within the household.
The Australian government is considering more childcare subsidies to encourage both parents to take care of their children together and divide labor equally.
Hill said: "We hope to promote the integration of all aspects and form a policy framework to allow women and men to reasonably distribute work and take care of their families."
In Australia, women's status has always been very high. This also makes many men willing to be stay-at-home dads.
This situation is very common in Australia, and many men are happy to take care of the family.
Many people think that those with higher incomes should work outside the home, while fathers would also like to take care of their children at home. It still feels very loving.
