Women dominate the ranks of the ACT public service, although they earn on average slightly less than their male counterparts.
Numbers are lower at the senior levels, where six of the nine directors general are women but just 41 per cent of the senior executive service overall are women.
Nevertheless, the pay gap between men and women is comparatively small and in some areas women earn more than their male colleagues.
Male public servants earn an average $89,680. On average females earn $3240 less, at $86,440. That's a gap of 3.6 per cent between male and female earnings, a gap that didn't improve in the five years to June 2016, according to the annual State of the Service report.
But it is less than the pay gap in the wider ACT workforce, of 10.8 per cent, and less still than the national pay gap, of 16.2 per cent. The report attributes the slightly lower pay for women to the numbers in part-time work.
In some areas women are paid more than their male colleagues - including nurses and rangers (only one quarter of the 47 rangers are women, but they earn an average 4 per cent more). Male doctors, though, are paid a full 11 per cent more than their female colleagues, as are fire fighters. Almost three-quarters of the city's 37 prosecutors are women; they are paid 18 per cent less than their male colleagues.
Overall, the ACT public service is not the place for cushy salaries, with average salaries actually less than in the wider ACT workforce. ACT workers earn an average $90,010. ACT public servants earn an average $87,580. Nationally, the average salary is $79,090.
Public service salaries have increased about 3.5 per cent a year in each of the past four years, after an 11.3 per cent increase in 2011-12.
Just over 2000 of the city's 21,260 ACT public servants earn more than $120,000 a year. Nurses and midwives are paid an average $80,800, and teachers an average $88,400. Doctors earn an average $131,000. Prison guards earn an average $68,700 and bus drivers $70,100.
The State of the Service report also reveals a continuing rise in the proportion of over-60s and over-70s in the public service - with judicial officers and transport officers among the oldest groups, with an average age of over 50. In June 2016, 112 public servants were in their 70s, a steady increase from 87 in the age group in 2012. Another 1801 public servants were aged in their 60s. The average age of public servants is 43.
The ACT employs 692 bus drivers, 3516 teachers, 2973 nurses and midwives, 904 doctors, 199 prison guards, 213 ambulance officers, and 342 fire and rescue workers. With the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, the number of disability officers has fallen fast, from 216 in June 2015, to 81 in June 2016.
Public servants took an average of 19.3 days each in annual leave, and 12.6 days each in personal leave. Disability officers used the most personal leave, average 21 days each.
Public servants were found to have breached section 9 of the Public Sector Management Act in 31 misconduct investigations. In 23 cases, they received a written warning. Five were sacked. It is not clear what happened in the remaining cases. Numbers were markedly down on previous years, with 101 investigations finding public servants had breached section 9 in 2014-15.
Section 9 requires public servants to act legally, avoid conflicts of interest, not disclose confidential information, be careful impartial and honest, not undermine the integrity and reputation of the service, not bully, harass or intimidate anyone, and not apply apply improper influence, favouritism or patronage.
8 comments
New User? Sign up