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Gender pay gap – Calls grow for accountability

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The unveiling of gender pay gaps within large Australian organisations marks a significant milestone for gender equality, but experts emphasise the urgent need for greater accountability and action from employers, asserts a University of South Australia researcher.

Professor Carol Kulik, an authority in workplace diversity, underscores the importance of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s release of gender pay gap data for large Australian employers as a pivotal step forward.

However, she stresses that the true impact of this revelation will hinge on the proactive measures taken by organizations to address and narrow the existing disparity.

The WGEA’s disclosure will shed light on gender pay gaps among private sector employers with 100 or more employees for the first time.

This move comes amid ongoing efforts to promote and enhance workplace gender equality.

Pay gap

According to the WGEA’s 2023 report, the average gender pay gap in Australia stands at 21.7%, translating to women earning an average of $26,393 less per year than their male counterparts.

Professor Kulik, a member of the SA Gender Pay Gap Taskforce, underscores the importance of further actions to ensure that organizations are held accountable for addressing pay gaps.

“We now must be asking employers important questions,” Professor Kulik asserts.

“In what roles and levels of employment are pay gaps most prevalent? How are employers supporting employees’ caring responsibilities? What measures are being implemented to facilitate women’s advancement into higher-paying roles? How soon can employers commit to closing their pay gaps?”

Tend to escalate

Highlighting the trajectory of pay gaps over time, Professor Kulik notes that initial disparities between men and women at the outset of their careers tend to escalate as pay rises are often calculated as a percentage of an employee’s current salary.

Career breaks and caregiving responsibilities further exacerbate these discrepancies, resulting in women retiring with significantly lower superannuation than men.

Drawing parallels from regulatory interventions in other countries, Professor Kulik underscores the unintended consequences that may arise.

For instance, while legislative mandates in Denmark narrowed the gender pay gap, they also prompted employers to compress salary distributions, impacting both male and female employees.

Ahron Young is an award winning journalist who has covered major news events around the world. Ahron is the Managing Editor and Founder of TICKER NEWS.

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Traders bet on Bitcoin hitting $100k by end of year

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Surge in Bitcoin prices follows pro-crypto political victories, with traders betting on a $100,000 milestone by year-end.

Bitcoin’s value surged past $90,000 on Wednesday, marking a record high amid investor excitement surrounding a possible cryptocurrency renaissance as Donald Trump steps into his second term as U.S. president.

The election of Trump, who has openly endorsed crypto, has sparked a 30% rise in bitcoin’s price since Election Day, boosted by the success of dozens of congressional candidates supported by crypto-friendly political action committees.

Hitting $100,000

According to Jake Ostrovskis, an OTC trader at crypto market maker Wintermute, traders are betting that Bitcoin could hit $100,000 before the end of the year, with $850 million in options contracts speculating on this milestone by December 27.

The crypto industry, which contributed around $170 million to support candidates viewed as allies, is optimistic about a wave of deregulation and favorable policies.

Trump has promised to establish a national bitcoin reserve and aims to replace SEC Chair Gary Gensler, who has led a strict regulatory approach to crypto.

With aggregate open interest on Bitcoin derivatives soaring to $61 billion, investors are increasingly bullish, betting on bitcoin’s growth via options and perpetual futures contracts.

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Consumer prices rise as Fed weighs December rate cut

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Consumer prices ticked up in October, marking a slight rise after September’s 3½-year low, showing an uneven path for inflation.

Despite the bump, the increase likely won’t deter the Federal Reserve from a possible December interest-rate cut.

The Labor Department reported consumer prices were up 2.6% from a year ago, with core inflation, excluding food and energy, up 3.3%.

Steady consumer spending and hiring may fuel debate on slowing rate cuts early next year.

Investors welcomed the report, betting on a quarter-point rate cut in December.

This response reflects confidence that President-Elect Trump and the Fed will avoid early policy clashes, despite Trump’s pro-lower-rate stance.

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Wall Street rallies as oil prices dip and bitcoin hits new high

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Wall Street started the week on a high note, extending last week’s rally as oil prices fell and bitcoin surged to a new record.

The Dow Jones jumped 1%, reaching over 44,000, with Tesla and big banks leading gains.

Crypto stocks soared as bitcoin hit an all-time high above $82,300, driven by optimism about lighter regulation.

Investors are also focused on upcoming inflation data, which could provide more clues about interest rates.

The dollar remained near a recent peak as Federal Reserve speakers, including Chair Jerome Powell, are set to weigh in later this week.

European markets followed suit, with the pan-European STOXX 600 rising over 1% on Monday.

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