Australia’s gender pay gap appears to be narrowing. 

New stats suggest the gap has seen its most rapid decrease in two decades, according to findings from the latest Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. 

The change is attributed to men dedicating more time to childcare and household tasks, coupled with a surge in care economy roles traditionally dominated by women.

The survey, which tracks over 9,000 households and 17,000 individuals, reveals that women's wages, which previously hovered between 78¢ and 79¢ to a dollar in comparison to men's earnings from 2016 to 2021, climbed to 86¢ in 2021. 

Analysis of the survey data from 2021 underscored a remarkable uptick in women's earnings compared to men's, with women's mean weekly earnings in their main job increasing by 36.1 per cent to $1633 over two decades, outpacing men's 24.9 per cent increase to $1900. 

This disparity was even more pronounced across all jobs, with women's earnings rising by 41 per cent to $1272 against a 24.7 per cent increase for men to $1704.

The adjustment in household dynamics, amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic's influence on flexible working arrangements, has also led to a significant reduction in work-family conflict, particularly among fathers. 

The 2021 HILDA survey recorded a marked decrease in tension for fathers balancing work and home responsibilities, with the disparity in work-family conflict between mothers and fathers narrowing significantly.

Despite these advances, the survey also highlighted areas where progress remains sluggish. 

While the employment rate for women reached a high of 74.1 per cent in 2019 before slightly dropping to 72.8 per cent in 2021, the employment rate for men has yet to surpass its 2008 peak of 83.2 per cent, resting at 81 per cent in 2021.

More details are accessible here.