Male-Dominated Industries

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that women in South Australia are paid 12% less on average than men, retire with less superannuation, spend more time in unpaid work and are less likely to be in leadership positions.

Many factors influence the current gender imbalance, with one in particular being the under-representation of women in the highest-paying industries which are traditionally male-dominated. Women’s participation rates in the 2024–25 financial year are:

• Construction 21%
• Mining 23%
• Transport, postal and warehousing 27%
• Manufacturing 28%
• Electricity, gas, water and waste services 28% 

Women in Construction Lunch 2026

Office for Women held a Women in Construction Lunch in January 2026 with key stakeholders in the construction industry to showcase best practice initiatives and work within the sector to support women to enter and remain in the industry.

Women in Construction Lunch Report (PDF 493.5 KB)

Women in Construction Lunch Report (DOCX 330.9 KB)

Driving Women's Participation in Industry Forum 2024

The Office for Women held a forum in 2024 with key government agencies and industry leaders — from construction, manufacturing, mining, defence, space, cybersecurity, and renewable energies — to discuss the main barriers and opportunities to increase women’s participation in traditionally male-dominated industries.

Driving Women’s Participation in South Australian Industries Report (PDF 503.1 KB)

Driving Women’s Participation in South Australian Industries Report (DOCX 653.5 KB)

Sources:

^[1] Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Average Weekly Earnings, Australia, November 2025 (Table 13d. Average weekly earnings, South Australia (dollars) - original, total earnings)

^[2] Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), Industry Data Explorer - Gender Equality Data