Australia’s unemployment rate has dropped to 4.2 per cent, with the number of women working full-time growing by 40,000 in July.
The latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show the female participation rate hit a record high of 63.5 per cent.
This record high comes as the overall participation rate remained steady at 67 per cent.
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage points from 4.3 per cent in June to 4.2 per cent in July.
Also today, the ABS revealed that the gender pay gap in average weekly full-time earnings narrowed to 11.5 per cent, down slightly from 11.9 per cent.
“This is the equal lowest gender pay gap in this series, with female average earnings rising faster than male earnings,” Sean Crick, ABS head of labour statistics, said.
The new figures show the average weekly full-time earning for men in Australia to be $2106.40. For women, it is $1,864.10. That equates to a difference of $242.30 per week.
“We know there is still more to do, but today’s news that the gender pay gap is again at an all-time low shows that with a government that cares, and that is prepared to deliver outcomes, we can shift the dial in the right direction,” Minister for Women Katy Gallagher said.