Don’t Bench Half The Team

As the Covid-19 health crisis swept over our shores, Australia rallied together. Our enormous success in flattening the curve was driven by a spirit of cooperation, all for the national good. State and Federal Governments. Business and communities, working together. But as we turn our attention towards the resulting economic and social crisis a divide as old as time is threatening our ability to respond. That is the gender gap. Some have labelled it a ‘Pink-collar recession’, others have dubbed it the ‘She-cession’. But the indisputable facts are that women have faced greater job losses and cuts to working hours than men.

Between March and April 2020 in Australia, females lost 10 per cent more jobs than males in our major capital cities and 43 per cent more jobs in our regions (ABS 2020). Two months of gendered job losses are expected to further delay the time to reach pay equity by years. The figures were worse again in May as female job losses accelerated. A high school girl studying for her HSC in the year of Covid-19 will have to wait until she is at least 50 for a chance at pay equality with her male peers.

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