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Baseline report

Data as at March 2024

This report provides sources and reference points for each indicator and measure listed in the reporting framework of Working for Women: A Strategy for Gender Equality. As a baseline, this is a point-in-time data and reference set on the status of gender equality in Australia at the time of the Strategy's release on 7 March 2024.

This report lists the data the Government will monitor to assess the impact of Working for Women and progress towards gender equality over the next 10 years. These data points have been selected in order to track progress against the ambitions of Working for Women and provide insight into the experiences of women and men in Australia. This baseline report will inform the mid-point review of Working for Women to be conducted in 2029.

Data sources used in this report are reported on different cycles from monthly through to every five years. Some data sources are updated on an ad hoc basis. The mid-point review will include the release of a mid-point update to the baseline to track change towards gender equality. Data measures and sources may also be added over time where more appropriate data sets emerge.

Where available, the data includes disaggregated data for First Nations people, culturally and linguistically diverse people, people with disability, people of different ages, and LGBTIQA+ people. There are limitations to this data in some cases, particularly where there are small population or sample sizes. The Government will work to improve data to help inform better outcomes for all Australians.

In addition to this report and the mid-point review, the Government will continue to release Status of Women Report Cards annually, highlighting key statistics across the priority areas of Working for Women.

Where indicators are informed by targets from existing strategies, time frames and target levels have been included in this report. The remaining indicators outline directional goals, but are not targets with specific time frames.

Priority area 2. Unpaid and paid care: Balance unpaid work and close the gender pay gap

Outcome 2.1: The unpaid work and care gap between women and men narrows
Ref. Indicator Measure Baseline (2024)
2.1.1 Average number of hours of unpaid work done each week for women and men

The difference in hours of unpaid work and care done by women and men each week on average 

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2.1.2 Average number of hours of unpaid child care done each week for women and men

The difference in hours of unpaid child care done by women and men each week on average 

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Outcome 2.2: Parents and carers have access to affordable and high quality early childhood education and care
Ref. Indicator Measure Baseline (2024)
2.2.1 Parent and carer access to early childhood education and care (ECEC)

ECEC participation by selected equity groups, including:

  • Children using child care – The proportion of children enrolled in Australian Government child care subsidy (CCS) approved child care services who are from selected equity groups, compared with their representation in the community, for those aged 0-5 and 6-12 years
  • Preschool program participation – The proportion of children enrolled in a preschool program in the year before full-time schooling (YBFS) who are from selected equity groups, compared with the representation of these groups in the community for those aged 4-5 years

NB: if use of services is equitable, representation in services will be the same as representation in the total population.

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2.2.2 Early childhood education and care is affordable and high quality

The average responses to questions on difficulty finding quality child care, availability of child care and cost of child care

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