BERWICK
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Thursday, 21 March, 2024
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Probe into woman’s death
New CFA truck arrives
Donation ban up in the air
Galvanised Tigers staying put
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SPORT
Stepping up for charity Walkers were jumping for joy at Berwick’s Wilson Botanic Park, eager to raise money for local soup vans and kitchens in the St Patrick’s Day Charity Walk. The John Mc Foundation welcomed hundreds of locals in their finest green attire, spending the morning getting their steps up and enjoying the scenery. Story page 8
John McGreal had plenty of spring in his step for the start of the charity walk. 395691 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Tackling pay gap By Ethan Benedicto Addressing the gender pay gap issue could be as deep as tackling foundational aspects of Australian society and culture, it’s been stated, following statistics revealed by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency. Casey Council’s Safe and Equal Casey strategic plan began in 2022, with the local government pledging to continue creating a safe and equal community, with these statistics further bolstering resolve for their strategic plan
NARRE WARREN
which is currently in its second phase. According to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), Australia’s average gender wage gap is at 21.7 per cent, which means for every $1 a man makes, women earn 78 cents. As for the employer wage gap data, 30 per cent of employers have a median gender pay gap between the target range of negative five per cent and positive five per cent. However, 62 per cent of median employer gender pay gaps are over five per cent in favour of men.
Dr Claire Charles, a sociology professor from Deakin University said that “it’s really a reflection that we do live in a patriarchal society that is structured by men, for men”. “Part of the issue comes when you decide that you’re going to make those spaces available to women now, and we’re going to give them laws and policies that say that we need to pay them equally. In sociology, we call that add-women-and-stir approach, that in order to make things gender equal you admit women into spaces that were previously dominated
by men,” Dr Charles said. While women are being integrated into male-dominated areas, Dr Charles added that historically, it has only been relatively recently that laws and policies relevant to gender equality have been put in place. “What happens when you add women and stir, you’re still going to have the residual effect of all the cultures and practices, in the workplace that originally went with that patriarchal structure,” she said. Continued page 8
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