But the number of Australians who believe gender equality has gone far enough has risen significantly since 2019.
The latest status of women report card, released before International Women's Day on March 8, puts Australia at 13th globally for gender equality.
It's the nation's highest-ever score and a significant improvement from a rank of 43rd in 2022.
But a little under half of Australians surveyed by market researcher Ipsos believed that "when it comes to giving women equal rights with men, things have gone far enough" in Australia.
This is a significant increase from 2019 when only 31 per cent of people surveyed held this view.
Three in five men believed the push for equality discriminated against them, while optimism for the future was stronger among young women than young men.
The findings showed Australia was at a crossroads when it came to gender equality, Ipsos public affairs head Jess Elgood said.
"For almost half of Australians we have gone far enough with men particularly likely to feel this, but there is simultaneously a recognition that the changes to date have improved the prospects for young Australian women," she said.
"This is an endorsement of the changes towards equality that have been undertaken so far, but also a suggestion that these changes are challenging the role of Australian men."
Women's workforce participation has reached a record yearly average of 63.1 per cent in 2025, with more women stepping into leadership roles and accessing education.
More than 55 per cent of families are relying on paid care for children under five years old, with one in three families relying on grandparent care.
Access to health care is improving, with more than 300,000 women able to access cheaper contraceptives and 71,000 women accessing menopause assessments added to Medicare in 2025.
But the report card also showed significant challenges affecting gender equality in Australia, such as women shouldering most unpaid care, facing high rates of intimate partner violence, and continuing to earn less than men.
Also, most Australians work in a sector or occupation dominated by their own gender, which highlights the need to disentangle gender segregation from the labour market.
Technology‑facilitated abuse and the increasing normalisation of digital tracking and monitoring among young people are new and growing issues affecting women's autonomy, safety and wellbeing.
"While we are seeing encouraging signs of change in some areas, including early shifts in the sharing of paid and unpaid care, serious and persistent challenges continue to affect women's safety, security and opportunity," Women's Minister Katy Gallagher said.
"The report card makes clear that sustained, deliberate action by governments, workplaces and communities is essential if we are to keep making progress and improve outcomes for women and girls across Australia."
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