Workforce and gender equality in SA local government
“$128,000,000,000 is the value to the Australian economy that can be realised by purposefully removing the persistent and pervasive barriers to women’s full and equal participation in economic activity.”
This project provides data for councils to address gender equality and create fairer local government workplaces. It also provides an excellent opportunity for local government to plan for the future and address skill shortages.
What was delivered
This project delivered rigorous research and data analysis, providing a comprehensive and reliable overview of gender equality in South Australian local government.
The project identified an existing source of workforce data for 2022-2023 and undertook analysis to provide an evidence-based picture of the gendered workforce profile.
The profile was compared with existing and evolving research on gender equality globally and nationally.
Project Outcomes
The project has made several key recommendations on how systemic barriers to gender equality can be addressed. It includes a detailed report, and an extensive Resource list has also been provided to give easy access to helpful tools and supporting evidence.
The outcomes of this project present a unique opportunity for leadership in local government to shape their own actions in relation to gender equality and enhancing workforce capability. This is a report and a call to action for positive change.
Gender Equality in South Australian Local Government
The project identified an inherent Gender Pay Gap issue for the South Australian local government sector.
Although the requirements for men and women for the same work are the same, the factors that make up the definition of the Gender Pay Gap are evident in the data analysis. These include the following:
- Lower pay levels are predominantly occupied by women, with men tending to predominate in senior levels.
- Women make up significantly more of the sector's part-time, casual and short-term contract roles.
- The percentage of casual employment of women is higher than for the general Australian workforce.
The data snapshot for South Australia as at December 2024 for SA Councils notes
- 38% of Councils with four or more people on Executive Teams met the 40:40:20 target.
- 40% of Directors/General Managers were female.
- 23.53% of CEO were female (the number of female CEO was 16 out of 68, and a percentage. The number of Metro CEO who are female is two, with the remainder being located in Regional councils)
Further information
This project was funded through the Local Government Research and Development Scheme.
This scheme allocates funding to projects that support the development of SA local government. Successful applicants are decided through an annual grant round.
If you have any questions about the project, or the Research and Development Scheme, please contact:
Mathilde Thorsen
Senior Projects and Grants Coordinator
Email: mathilde.thorsen@lga.sa.gov.au