Gender Pay Gap Report 2025

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has a Gender Pay Gap of 11.5% in its workforce, in favour of male employees.

On our snapshot date of 20th June 2025, we had a workforce of 2,311 staff members, consisting of 1,363 females and 948 males, across a diverse range of grades.

The analysis of our Gender Pay Gap data in 2025 found that the biggest determinant of DFAT’s average hourly rate continues to be the grade at which someone works. As a result, gender distribution by grade is the leading cause of the gap, since:

• The upper remuneration quartile pay band, the highest pay band, comprises 49.7% women men and 50.3% men. This shows that there is still a slightly greater Page 3 of 10 proportion of men at more senior levels within the Department, as compared to the overall gender distribution in DFAT of 59% women and 41% men.
• The lower remuneration quartile pay band, the lowest pay band, comprises 63.3% women and 36.7% men, with a strong disparity of gender distribution.

We are gradually progressing towards greater female representation at the higher grades. Female representation at the Principal Officer and Assistant Secretary Grades has increased since 2024, with parity in both grades reached in 2025. For the Assistant Secretary Grade, this shows an increase of 11%, and 2% at Principal Officer Grade.

There remains significant gender difference in Passport Service roles, where the majority of staff are female.

We have made significant progress in recent years, now having:

• a gender balanced Management Board
• more than 50% of our Heads of Mission abroad are women
• parity at Principal Officer level and above.

To reduce DFAT’s Gender Pay Gap we must continue to focus on achieving a better gender balance across all grades in DFAT. This report also includes information on the measures to be implemented and those already in place to progress gender equality.