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Report shines light on gender disparity in transport

Low diversity compounded by pay gap and discrimination barrier

 

A report shining a light on gender in industry has revealed women comprise only 26.4 per cent of transport roles – one of the lowest rates of diversity in Australia.

Fleet management firm Teletrac Navman’s whitepaper Driving Change: A Closer Look at Women in Transport notes that, while the Australia-wide average is 46.9 per cent, the disparity in transport becomes even more glaring within specific sections of transport – for example, women make up just 16.9 per cent of the workforce in road transport.

Of all Australian industries tracked by the federal government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency, only the mining sector, at 16.7 per cent, rates lower.

The Driving Change report also reveals a significant pay gap in the transport sector, with men paid on average 19.5 per cent more than women, making the average difference in remuneration $21,923.

This represents one of the largest pay gaps in any industry, despite it decreasing in the past five years.

For comparison, in the mining sector the gender pay gap currently stands at 16.7 per cent.

Women are also subject to frequent discrimination, the report says, with 72.1 per cent facing it personally or believed it was a significant barrier to be overcome.

More encouragingly, 67.3 per cent of women believe opportunities are strong in the industry.

“Women are underrepresented in the transport industry and this needs to be addressed,” Teletrac Navman vice president – transport solutions Andrew Rossington says.


Rossington discusses Teletrac Navman’s work on electronic work diaries, here


“The industry is on the cusp of monumental change and a more diverse and inclusive workforce will only strengthen and futureproof it.

“The evidence across the board is clear – it’s not just the right thing to do, increasing female representation has significant economic and business benefits.

“Gender diversity is an issue that impacts several sectors but the combination in the transport industry of low-representation and a large pay gap is unique.

“Now is the time for change. We hope this report, by recognising the barriers women face and showcasing some of the ways that they can be addressed, will help kick-start the process.”

Taylor’s Removals managing director Melissa Taylor, a past winner of the Australian Trucking Association’s (ATA) Woman of the Year award, says the industry provides career prospects and is essential to Australia’s economic success, but is still overlooked by many.

“In the last few years, other industries from finance to professional services have made great strides in promoting a more diverse workforce. Now, transport needs to step up a gear and accelerate change,” Taylor says. 

Lindsay Australia people and culture manager Melissa Strong was the 2018 winner of the Queensland Trucking Association’s (QTA) Trucking Woman of the Year award.

She adds: “I believe diversity is crucial for success in transport. As the industry changes, we need to bring in new perspectives that will help us navigate the evolving climate more effectively,”

Teletrac Navman notes industry employs nearly half a million people across its major subsectors including road transport, logistics, and warehousing, and the domestic freight task is expected to increase by 80 per cent by 2031, in part driven by the rise of ecommerce.

Teletrac Navman HR director Asia Pacific Nicole McRory says: “We hope that this report will raise awareness of the issues that women face every day and go some way towards changing our industry for the better. The report highlights lots of positive signs, both in transport and from other industries which transport can learn from.”

“So far, we’ve seen a tremendous response from our industry partners and customers. Organisations including the Australian Trucking Association (ATA), Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia, Road Freight NSW, Transport Women Australia, and the Queensland Transport Association (QTA), along with companies like Lindsay Australia, Daryl Dickenson Transport, Russell Transport and Pilbara Heavy Haulage Girls, have all signed up to our pledge to support the campaign and help promote women in transport. We hope many more will do the same.”

The full report is available here.

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