Men earn over $326 more per week than women in ICT and media

ABS report shows discrepancies between the sexes and industries for weekly pay

Males working full time in the information, media and telecommunications industries earn more than $326 per week on average than their female counterparts according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

In its Average Weekly Earnings, Australia, Aug 2009 report the ABS said across all industries the full time adult total earnings for men rose by 5.2 per cent and 4.2 per cent for females in the 12 months to August 2009.

However, in the information, media and telecommunications industries category males received a 5.0 per cent increase over the corresponding quarter of the previous year while females got a lousy 0.6 per cent. The combined average increase was 3.3 per cent.

In the same category, the average full time adult total earnings for males during the August quarter was $1568.20 and for women it was $1246.10. The combined average was $1432.90.

On average workers in across both public and private sectors and all industries received full-time adult total earnings of $1248.80 (males received $1351.20 and females $1077), indicating the ICT and media sector is batting well above average.

In the private sector alone for all industries the full-time adult total earnings figure hit $1228.30 (males got $1335.40, females got $1017.40) and in the public sector it is $1320.10 (males got $1422.10, females got $1216.10).

The ABS results also show that males in the information, media and telecommunications industries category are in the top five best paid.

At the top of the list is the mining industry category with males earning $2009.60 followed by: Financial and insurance services; professional, scientific and technical services; health care and social assistance; and then the information, media and telecommunications industries category.

Despite being paid far worse than their male colleagues, females in the information, media and telecommunications industries category are the second best paid females in Australia behind those in the mining category ($1538.40).

The full results can be found on the ABS website.

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More about: ABS, Australian Bureau of Statistics, CA Technologies
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Comments

1

Ian Dennis -CIIER

Thu 19/11/2009 - 14:35

Since the ABS category of Information, media, and telecommunications includes librarians, and telco workers, but excludes the entire computer systems design, software services, consulting, distribution and manufacture sectors that make up the other 80% of our industry, any conclusion drawn from this data that it is more than tangentially relevant to the ICT industry would be specious.

2

trevor_clarke@idg.com.au

Thu 19/11/2009 - 15:37

Thanks for the comment Ian and interesting point. You're right in saying the category does exclude computer systems design and software services – my mistake. I should have referenced other categories such as the "Professional, scientific and technical services" category (predominantly under Class 7000 Computer System Design and Related Services) to make things clearer. Notably, male workers also earned far more per week in this category ($1636.70) than women ($1168.80).

However, I would argue this category is even more influenced by other professions than the Information, media, and telecommunications one as it includes Scientific Research Services, Architectural, Engineering and Technical Services, Legal and Accounting Services, Advertising Services, Market Research and Statistical Services, Management and Related Consulting Services, and Veterinary Services.

And as for the distribution you mention, it comes under the Transport, Postal and Warehousing category – thus rendering reference to ICT difficult. We could also include retail - but again that covers a large swathe of market sectors.

I don't agree the Information, media and telecommunications category is only "tangentially relevant to the ICT industry" as it is arguable this category gives the "better picture" of all the categories including any ICT professions.

Your comments do raise a very good point though the categories used by the ABS do not give the best possible picture of the ICT industry – from both a narrow and broad definition of what ICT means.

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