New research into South Australia’s local government workforce shows while the sector is relatively gender balanced, there is still work to be done to address gender disparities with pay, working hours and barriers to equal participation.
The Workforce and Gender Equality in South Australian Local Government report, led by LG Professionals SA, analysed workforce data from councils to provide an overview of gender equality across employees and make recommendations on the actions that can be taken.
LG Professionals SA President Kate O’Neill spoke to the importance of this work.
“Through fostering workplaces where equal participation is supported and encouraged, we drive better outcomes for our organisations and the communities we serve,” she said.
“The LG Professionals SA Board has identified this as an important and ongoing issue.”
Key findings of the report include: unlike state and federal, there is no lead agency driving or monitoring a gender equality forward plan for local government in South Australia there is a need for local government workforce data in SA to be analysed and reported so the sector can continue to measure, develop and improve its workforce Inherent Gender Pay Gap issues exist (i.e. lower remuneration for roles predominantly occupied by women, more women in part-time or casual roles).
Workforce by Gender data provided annually by all 68 councils to the Grants Commission is not currently consolidated or analysed into an annual report, meaning data is not currently readily available to the sector to enable tracking of workforce gender trends
data capture for First Nations people and non-English speaking backgrounds, as well as people with a disability, is lacking and needs improving.
A key focus of the initiative is to assess and address systemic drivers of gender inequality in SA’s local government sector and demonstrate leadership to address these actions.
LG Professionals SA has formed a Local Government Champions for Gender Equity Working Group, which includes council CEOs and other senior council staff, to lead this response.
LGA South Australia President, Mayor Heather Holmes-Ross said the report provides valuable insight into both the progress and challenges in achieving gender equality in the local government workforce.
“This data gives us a valuable insight into what councils are doing well and the areas where there is work to do to close gaps and support gender equality outcomes,” Mayor Holmes-Ross said.
“The report shows that while councils have achieved a near 50:50 gender balance overall, the reality behind those numbers is more complex.
“There are still gaps in senior leadership, employment types and pay levels when comparing men and women working in councils, which requires further consideration and discussion about how this could be improved.”
The Workforce and Gender Equality in South Australian Local Government report was delivered by LG Professionals SA and funded through the Local Government Research and Development Scheme, which is administered by LGA South Australia.
