Pay rise could attract more men to workforce

The pay rise for aged care staff will help attract more men to the care sector, an aged care peak body has said, but more than 15 per cent is needed.

Aged Care Workforce Industry Council (ACWIC) 's response comes after CEDA's report released in January called for action to address Australia's high levels of gender segregation.

One out of ten people in the aged care workforce is female, whereas only 12 per cent of women are in construction and 16 per cent in mining.

ACWIC chair Libby Lyons said the report 'rightly highlighted how care work is perceived as women's work.'

"We are experiencing a workforce crisis in aged care," Lyons said.

"We need more people to join the sector, including men, and to be paid a decent wage when they do."

In December 2022, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) ruled that aged care workers would receive a 15 per cent wage increase.

However, major aged care peaks, including ACWIC, have been pushing for a 25 per cent rise.

"Improving wages in sectors that have been historically undervalued, such as aged care, will help to close the gender pay gap and increase the pool of potential workers," Lyons said.

"We simply cannot meet the needs of our ageing population if we do not make the aged care sector a more attractive place to work for both women and men."

Lyons said the sector's poor image, including low pay and beliefs around poor career structure and progression, is also blocking men from entering the workforce.

Currently, the Australian award wage for care workers is nearly a third lower than disability carers, with an average hourly wage of $23 and $33, respectively.

Over 10 per cent of aged care staff hold a second job to get by, according to government data.

CEDA chief executive Melinda Cilento said a wage raise would help but wouldn't tackle the underlying reasons behind gender segregation in aged care.

"While many social, historical and economic factors have driven this segregation, most of the remaining barriers to change are cultural," Cilento said. 

"Major structural shifts, including digital transformation and an ageing population, will require a much more agile labour market than we have now.

"If economic and social barriers prevent flexible movement between occupations, we will not be able to respond to these changes." 

CEDA's senior economist Cassandra Winzar agreed and emphasised that if we want to solve the workforce crisis, we should consider making the sector attractive for men.

"If we want to do something about growing the workforce, we need to look at some of those under-represented groups," Winzar told ABC News.

"And the most under-represented group in the aged care workforce is actually men.

"We must tackle these entrenched cultural barriers wherever they exist."

The CEDA report recommended that the government strengthen family-friendly policies, including making paid parental leave more gender-equal under a 'use-it-or-lose-it system.'

It also said reducing tax rates for primary caregivers and access to affordable childcare would lower gender segregation in aged care.

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