Dr Caroline Hughes. Photo: File.
The disparity between public service wages depending on agency has been highlighted once again, with a big swipe from the executive director at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
Caroline Hughes, a Ngunnawal elder, told an International Women’s Day event on Wednesday that some staff were being paid vastly less than the same level staff of other agencies.
With Australian Public Service wage and conditions bargaining set to start in earnest, the discrepancies in salaries have been a significant point of contention for staff at all levels.
At the executive level 1 classification, salaries vary as much as $50,000+ between government agencies.
She said it was unacceptable that staff in her independent statutory authority were being paid far less than counterparts in other areas of the Australian Public Service.
Dr Hughes called for change and told the event, hosted by the Institute of Public Administration Australia, that the unfairness in salaries was having a negative impact on her staff.
“It’s difficult being in that executive role and knowing how low the staff are in the organisation, the inequity of their pay, it’s mind boggling,” she said.
“I must say that with AIATSIS, when we look at pay equity, for an Aboriginal organisation we have the second lowest pay of the Australian Public Service.
“That is an Aboriginal inequity that is happening in the Australian Public Service, and that is impacting Aboriginal people and non-Indigenous people working in that organisation.
“That shocked me coming from the ACT public service, where that’s just not heard of, where one directorate would be paid less than the other for similar work.”
She said she laughed at the salary being offered to her when she won her current role, adding she would not leave the job she then had for a position with greater responsibility if it was not properly compensated.
“I think it’s really important that females feel empowered to challenge what they’re offered,” Dr Hughes said.
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher used her Susan Ryan Oration at the Australian National University on Thursday to outline in general terms what the Government was doing for gender equality and Indigenous representation.
“We have also begun work on a National Strategy to Achieve Gender Equality. This is the first time a government made a commitment to achieving gender equality – and set a roadmap to get us there,” the Minister said.
“This roadmap involves examining everything from our IR laws to our plan to tackle violence against women, to health and wellbeing and balancing care responsibilities and employment.
“And in May we will be hearing from First Nations women at the Women’s Voice Summit for an Indigenous perspective on gender equality.
“There is a strong economic case to be made for gender equality.
“Breaking entrenched gender norms could boost the Australian economy by $128 billion a year, according to Deloitte Access Economics.
“That’s an opportunity I don’t want our country to miss.”
Senator Gallagher has promised an APS-wide interim 3 per cent pay increase for most employees, while more permanent workplace arrangements are negotiated.
The Federal Government is asking public servants directly what outcomes they would like to see as a result of service-wide bargaining.
Deputy APS commissioner Peter Riordan has written an open letter to all employees informing them of the initial steps being taken to reduce pay fragmentation across the sector.
The commission is also seeking employee input via an anonymous survey.
Loading ...
