Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows the national gender pay gap has fallen from 11.5 per cent to 11.3 per cent over the past six months.

Australia’s gender pay gap is now at its lowest ever on record.

The closing of the gap is driven by wage gains for women in lower paid work, including in the health care sector, and off the back of key reforms to end the historic practice of undervaluing the work in female-dominated occupations.

From early 2026, significant pay increases began for occupations with a majority-women workforce, including dental assistants, pathology collectors and other health professionals.

This follows the significant increases for aged care workers and early childhood education and care workers.

The ACTU says workplace reforms won by unions, such as paid parental leave and paid family and domestic violence leave, are also boosting women’s wages, by supporting them to stay in their jobs and to win higher pay.

Albanese Government reforms banning pay secrecy and expanding access to collective bargaining are among other significant reforms impacting the gender pay gap.

The increase of 4.75 per cent won by unions in this year’s Annual Wage Review will also help close the gender pay gap as women make up 60 per cent of Australia’s minimum wage and award-reliant workers.

Recently departed ACTU President Michele O’Neil said the impressive progress was happening “because new gender equity laws and record pay rises for workers in undervalued sectors won by unions are having an impact – and not before time”.