Australia is currently held back from reaching its full social and economic potential by pervasive and systemic gender inequality. Current data shows that inequality is prevalent and persistent, and it impacts a woman’s public and private experiences across her entire lifetime. Many women face even greater barriers and disadvantages because of their intersecting identities and experiences.

Women’s economic inequality has become normalised and is often assumed to be ‘natural’ or the result of women’s personal choices. There is clear evidence to show this thinking is out of step with the ambitions and interests of our highly educated female population and with forging a fair society. It also clashes with the development of a modern and vibrant global economy.

Australia faces several key economic challenges in the coming decade, including managing global economic uncertainty, inequality, geopolitical tensions, transitioning to clean energy while climate change challenges our communities, an ageing population and rapid technological advances. These challenges also provide opportunities to shift Australia’s economic policy settings and unlock the value of women’s full economic participation.

This document provides a snapshot of women’s economic inequality and the current economic loss to Australia. It sets out an ambitious roadmap for a decade of repair, reform and renewal.

It also includes seven primary recommendations to the federal government that will drive women’s economic equality and contribute to a strong and globally competitive Australian economy. Each recommendation contains immediate actions for implementation, and medium- to long-term actions over the following years that will cumulatively drive Australia towards a stronger economy and gender equality over the coming decade.