SA Government, Keep your Promise on Gender Equality

For too long, South Australia has lagged in securing genuine pay equality for women. The South Australian Government has repeatedly promised to introduce a Gender Equality Bill, highlighting it as a priority in key documents like the State Budget and the Women’s Equality Blueprint.

Gender Pay Gap Taskforce

The Government’s own Gender Pay Gap Taskforce delivered its final report nearly a year ago, explicitly urging that this Bill be enacted. Despite these clear commitments and expert advice, the Bill remains undelivered.

This delay is not just a broken promise; it is a wasted opportunity for leadership. We need this legislation to mandate systemic change and establish the necessary accountability to finally close the pay gap.

Your voice makes the difference…

We cannot afford to wait another year while our shared prosperity is compromised by inaction. Closing the Gender Pay Gap is vital for all South Australians, addressing skill shortages and boosting productivity by fully securing women’s workforce participation.

We are calling on Minister Katrine Hildyard to champion this essential legislation immediately. Use the email tool to send a clear message: Deliver the Gender Equality Bill now.

Your two minutes of action can force the Government to honour its commitment and create a fairer, stronger future for our state.

Gender Wage Gap Facts
Why a Gender Equality Act?

South Australia has a proud tradition of progress on equity for women. And we seek a Gender Equality Act to continue on this path.

We see a commitment to a meaningful and resourced Gender Equality Act as a key strategy to address underlying issues that give rise to the Gender Pay Gap, namely:

  • Gender discrimination;
  • Gender segregation in job type;
  • Care, family responsibilities and workforce participation.

Victoria enacted a Gender Equality Act in 2020, and the positive and far-ranging impact of the Victorian Gender Equality Act can be seen in its Objects:

  • To promote, encourage and facilitate the achievement of gender equality and improvement in the status of women; and
  • To support the identification and elimination of systematic causes of gender inequality in policy, programs, and delivery of services in workplaces and communities; and
  • To recognise that gender inequality may be compounded by other forms of disadvantage or discrimination; and
  • To redress disadvantage, address stigma, stereotyping, prejudice and violence and accommodate persons of different gender by way of structural change; and
  • To enhance economic and social participating by persons of different genders; and
  • To further promote the right to equality set out in the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
Who would be covered by a South Australian Act?

A South Australian Gender Equality Act would cover:

  • State Public Sector Employment,
  • Local Government and,
  • Universities.
What would the Act require?
  • Gender Impact Assessment of any policy, program or service provided by that entity that has a direct and significant impact on the public.
  • Require all grants and procurement processes to increase gender equality.
  • Preparation of a workplace gender audit.
  • Preparation of a Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) in consultation with unions.
  • Must make reasonable and material progress.
  • Regulations may prescribe targets or quotas.
  • Progress reports every second year after submitting GEAP.
What is required to ensure that these are meaningful?

A Gender Equality Act alone will be insufficient to close the gender pay gap. Such an Act needs the engagement of Unions as the representatives of affected workers, and to be supported by robust enforcement and compliance mechanisms, public accountability through publication of data, and elevated through appropriate resourcing. This requires:

  • Independent Commissioner to provide education and support, ensure compliance, undertake research and report to Minister.
  • Publicly accessible reports.
  • Consultation with Unions.
  • Dispute processes, with legal “standing” for Unions to commence disputes.
Hasn’t the Government said they would do this?

Yes, on numerous occasions the Government has committed to a Bill, but we are still to see it and we are keen to ensure that we have a meaningful bill to support. The commitments have been made in the following.

To achieve gender equality, a Malinauskas Labor government will: “Introduce an Equality Bill to encourage public and private sector organisations to achieve equality and to adjust procurement and grants processes to ensure funding supports equity.”

ALP’s pre-election 2022 policy “Women, Safety, Wellbeing and Equality: For the Future”

Similar commitments were made in the South Australia’s Women’s Equality Blueprint 2023-26, and reinforced by the Gender Pay Gap Taskforce Final Report 2024.

“The South Australian Government has committed to introduce an Equality Bill to encourage public and private sector organisations to improve gender equality across their workplaces as well as through their policies, programs and services. The proposed Gender Equality Bill will be released for community consultation this year.”

2024/2025 South Australian State Budget Overview
Email the Minister Now!