Men are earning on average A$9,753 more than women each year in the form of performance bonuses, allowances and overtime pay.

That’s according to the latest gender pay gap data released on Thursday by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency. It covers more than 8,000 private companies for 2024–25, employing more than 5.4 million workers across Australia.

The overall gender pay gap fell to 21.1%, compared to 21.8% in 2023–24. But the gap in discretionary pay makes up a big chunk of the total gender pay gap of $28,356.

The gender gap in discretionary remuneration – payments made on top of a worker’s base salary and excluding mandatory superannuation – balloons in particular industries.

In the rental, hiring and real estate industry, these additional payments average $34,618 annually for men and $14,154 for women. That’s a gap of $20,464.

In financial and insurance services, the gender gap in additional payments comes to $20,383. In electricity, gas, water and waste services, it’s $16,644.

Studies have found that when gender gaps have successfully narrowed, it’s generally the base salary component that has improved. The gap in discretionary payments is more stubborn.

Partly these gender differentials........

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