The average salary for men in Shepparton is just under $60,000 a year, with the median worker earning $54,636 per annum, in stark contrast to the average and median of $45,112 and $40,852 respectively for women.
The gap has slowly been rising, with the median male salary increasing by $8005 since 2011-12 and the female equivalent rising $7463.
The gender pay gap is stark across the Goulburn Valley, with women in the Upper Goulburn Valley region - including Mitchell and Strathbogie Shires - earning nearly $20,000 less.
Campaspe and Moira Shire council areas both have gaps of $16,000 and $15,000 between men and women respectively.
The figures, which cover 2017-2018, don’t take the split between full-time work and part-time work into account, with women making up more than two-thirds of all part-time employees across the country in 2020.
It also doesn’t take unemployment figures into account – with the female unemployment rate at 8.1 per cent compared to 5.9 per cent for men after more than 100,000 women lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Experts say the gap points to a structural inequality in how the region’s economy is structured as opposed to women being paid less for the same roles.
MB+M Group Shepparton chief executive Rebecca Woolstencroft said it “wasn’t surprising” to see the discrepancy.
“A lot of women don't work full-time. Obviously with children or older parents who need assistance they might do less work,” she said.
“The other reason is women take on more caring jobs or as teachers which in comparison pay less.”
She said there weren’t as many opportunities for women in industries like trades, which was a similar situation to when she started as an accountant more than 20 years ago.
Now, with slightly more women graduating accountancy than men, Ms Woolstencroft said change was possible.
Her firm has an 80-20 female-male split, which she said wasn’t typical of the industry but was more reflective of MB M’s workplace arrangements.
“Our firm attracts people who want to work with flexible arrangements. We don't have many full-time workers at all anymore. “
Committee for Greater Shepparton chief executive Sam Birrell said there were many factors behind the discrepancy, including the gender balance in different industries like trades, agriculture, nursing and childcare.
He said encouraging women into male-dominated fields and vice-versa was a crucial part of levelling the field.
“In situations where men and women are being paid differently for the same role, that’s entirely unacceptable,” he said.
“From a personal perspective I think if businesses are giving men and women equal opportunity to be part of child-rearing that will help.”
“There’s potential for COVID to allow management to start long-term trends around flexibility and we might grow more opportunities for men and women.”
Gender Equality Victoria will release its 2021 budget submission on Thursday, according to a report in The Age, which will call for a transformation to the TAFE system to deliver equal opportunities for women, with a $32 million funding request.
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