You may have noticed a bit of talk over the past month on the gender pay gap. This is because in February a whole new range of statistics were made public for the first time. Every year, companies with more than 100 employees, are required to report to Federal Government Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) on a range of indicators, including employee pay. This year the data collected by the WGEA was made public and released on the WGEA website, searchable by company name. This means anyone can now look up a company with more than 100 staff and find out what their gender pay gap is and how that may compare to other companies in the same industry.

What is the Gender Pay Gap?

The gender pay gap can be hard to understand and there's a lot of misinformation. The gender pay gap is not the same as equal pay. Equal pay is where workers are paid the same, regardless of gender, for performing the same role or different work of equal or comparable value. In Australia, this has been a legal requirement since 1969.

Instead, the gender pay gap shows the difference between the average or median pay of women and men across organisations, industries and the workforce as a whole.

It is calculated as the difference between the average earnings for men and women, expressed as a percentage of men's average earnings.

Snapshot of Australia’s workforce

The pay gap is slowly creeping down. In 2013/2014 (the start of data collection) the average pay gap was a bit under 30%. This year the national gender pay gap is 21.7 %.

Source: https://www.wgea.gov.au/data-statistics/data-explorer
 

How does our industry compare?

While WGEA has several broad industry categories, the majority of ALGA companies fall into the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services category. Gender pay gap statistics for this group (without computer system design) show, as an industry, we have a pay gap slightly higher than the national average. This year, based on average total remuneration, our industry pay gap is 22.8%.

Looking at environmental companies specifically (those with more than 100 employees) the gender gap provided on the WGEA website ranges from approximately 8 % to 31 %. Which is a surprisingly broad range.

Statistics sourced from Source: https://www.wgea.gov.au/data-statistics/data-explorer

What factors influence the Gender Pay Gap?

There are a range of factors that affect the gender pay gap. It is the result of social and economic factors that combine to reduce women’s earning capacity over their lifetime. The WGEA identifies the following causes:

• Conscious and unconscious discrimination and bias in hiring and pay decisions.
• Women and men working in different industries and different jobs, with female-dominated industries and jobs attracting lower wages.
• Lack of workplace flexibility to accommodate caring and other responsibilities, especially in senior roles.
• High rates of part-time work for women.
• Women’s greater time out of the workforce for caring responsibilities impacting career progression and opportunities.
• Women’s disproportionate share of unpaid caring and domestic work.

An in depth evaluation of the causes of the gender pay gap is provided in the ‘She’s Price(d)less’ report (https://www.wgea.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/FINAL%20VERSION_She%27s%20Pricedless_2022.pdf) which was last released in 2022 based on data collected in 2020. The report identifies the following three key drivers of the gender pay gap:

Source: ‘She’s Price(d)less’ KPMG 2022

The causes of and solutions to the gender pay gap are complex. The fact that 36% could be attributed to nothing other than gender discrimination is shocking.

The new visibility of a company’s gender pay gap statistics through the WGEA website will hopefully focus company attention on this persistent issue. I encourage everyone to hop on the website (https://www.wgea.gov.au/) and look at the gender statistics of the industry and think about what can be done to reduce the pay gap.

These new reporting requirements are encouraging and will hopefully drive organisations to implement appropriate targets and processes to achieve pay parity. This exposure should prompt companies to be transparent with stakeholders, and to explain why gaps exist and their plan to address them.

Article Published on 28/03/2024

The statements, analyses, opinions, information and conclusions that may be found in the articles of this publication are those of the author and not of the Australasian Land & Groundwater Association Ltd (ALGA), which only acts in the capacity as publisher. No part of this publication can be regarded as legal advice. Although care has been taken in preparing this publication, neither ALGA nor the author represent or warrant that the information supplied is current, complete or accurate. To the full extent permitted by law, the author and ALGA do not accept any liability, or owe a duty of care, to any person in respect of any such information. No person should rely in any way on the content of this publication and are encouraged to seek independent legal or other professional advice, if required.

Meet our New Directors Series: A short interview with Kristina Braun

1. You have been part of the ALGA volunteering family for some years. Can you highlight some of the work you have done with us over the years and what you find most rewarding as a volunteer?

I attended my first ALGA event almost 11 years ago shortly after migrating to Australia from the US, and through the years have found ALGA to be invaluable in my development as a professional in Australia.

In 2020 I joined the Melbourne Branch Board of Directors (Co-chair 2021-23), and shortly after Melbourne was swept into the challenges of COVID lockdowns. It was a time when Melbourne professionals were feeling disconnected, and I am proud of the work the Melbourne Branch did to keep our members connected to each other and the industry. Whilst on the Melbourne Branch Board I have had a particular focus on diversity, developing and delivering events both in the areas of indigenous involvement and women in the industry. The positive response to these events has certainly made it a rewarding endeavour.

In 2022 I joined the National Awards Committee (Committee Chair 2022). It was an exciting time as Melbourne emerged from the haze of COVID lockdown and we hosted one of the first large industry events in Melbourne – the 2022 ALGA Excellence Awards Dinner. It was a fantastic celebration of the work our industry has done across Australia and New Zealand.

I continue to enjoy serving on both committees while taking on a position on the National ALGA Board of Directors. What I find most rewarding at this point in my journey with ALGA is helping other members fully experience the benefits and value that I have from ALGA, including increasing technical knowledge, both giving and receiving mentorship, and connecting our members to help drive the industry forward together.

2. Congratulations on your appointment to the Australasian Land and Groundwater Association (ALGA) Board of Directors at the recent Annual General Meeting. Can you share with me what drew you to putting your hand up as a Board Director for ALGA?

Thank you – it is an honour to be elected. ALGA fulfills many important functions in our industry and I am excited to play a role in helping ALGA implement strategies around knowledge sharing to take on the challenges of our changing environment. As an independent party who brings all parts of the industry together, ALGA is in a unique position to collaboratively make change and advance the state of our industry. Additionally, ALGA has supported my passion around connecting people, providing mentorship, and driving diversity; and I am looking forward to continuing working with my counterparts in this space on the National Board of Directors.

3. Given you have worked in the sector for almost 20 years, can you share what attracted you to the contaminated land and groundwater sector and what part of your current role at Kleinfelder you are most passionate about?

Growing up, my father worked in the sciences and always supported my interests in tinkering and experimenting. I have also always had a love of nature – so combined, the contaminated land and groundwater industry made sense for me.

Following work with USDA NRCS as a soil conservationist (2004-2005) and employment with REACT Environmental as an environmental scientist (2005-2007) I had the opportunity to join Kleinfelder in 2007 as an environmental scientist. It has been an incredible 17-year journey that has allowed me to work in the US, Australia, and the Pacific Islands in both the areas of contaminated land/groundwater and sustainability. The technical and logistical challenges, interesting people and places, realised environmental benefits, and supportive teams I have had the honor of working with has kept me engaged and eager to continue to be part of our industry.

My passion now, without a doubt, is the people in our industry. I love sharing knowledge, learning from others, and building teams to solve the evolving challenges we face. I take immense pride in connecting people in order to develop solutions which benefit our environment and the communities we live in.

4. I note you have been involved in a number of programs supporting diversity and women working in our sector, both within your workplace and also through ALGA. Can you share with our readers what some of these initiatives have been and why they have been so successful?

I have been a member of Kleinfelder’s Global Diversity and Inclusion Committee (Spectrum) since its inception. Over the past several years there has been a large range of Spectrum initiatives including internal training, supporting managers in developing diverse teams, and focusing on minority involvement/inclusion. While there has been a wide spread of initiatives, I attribute the success of these primarily to one overarching key - leadership support. Don’t get me wrong – these initiatives absolutely needed the tireless efforts of those on the Spectrum Committee, but without leadership support they would not have brought the benefits they have.

Similarly, the support received from ALGA leadership has enabled me to develop and deliver successful events around indigenous involvement and women in the contaminated land and groundwater industry. While these events were focused on knowledge sharing, the connection and mentorship elements of the events have had the most significant impact. Specifically, at the Women in the Contaminated Land and Groundwater Event (Melbourne, Sept 2023) connection/mentorship cards were provided to all attendees with the aim of connecting individuals and starting conversations. To hear over the past 6 months of the growth and development of the connections made at the event is very rewarding.

I am also involved with the Professional Environmental Women's Association (PEWA) and provide mentorship to other women in the contaminated land and groundwater industry. There is no doubt that having diverse teams creates the best outcomes and will drive advancement in the industry – and for me it’s about connecting people to ensure mentorship and support exists for all.

Article Published on 28/03/2024

The statements, analyses, opinions, information and conclusions that may be found in the articles of this publication are those of the author and not of the Australasian Land & Groundwater Association Ltd (ALGA), which only acts in the capacity as publisher. No part of this publication can be regarded as legal advice. Although care has been taken in preparing this publication, neither ALGA nor the author represent or warrant that the information supplied is current, complete or accurate. To the full extent permitted by law, the author and ALGA do not accept any liability, or owe a duty of care, to any person in respect of any such information. No person should rely in any way on the content of this publication and are encouraged to seek independent legal or other professional advice, if required.

Why did you join as an ALGA member?

ALGA provides a unique platform for cross fertilisation of innovative ideas and pragmatic solutions for managing contaminated land as well as networking with comrades in the frontline trenches healing country.

How did you hear about ALGA?

I was introduced by a colleague to the online seminars and got addicted.

What does your job involve?

As Principal Environmental Risk Officer at Darebin City Council, it is consistent roller coaster fun! covering A-Z of environmental risk assessment and providing advice across the organisation. I am the ‘go to’ fireman, policeman, oracle and superman who constantly pivots handling a range of emerging issues on a fast track basis working with limited resources. Also managing multiple site assessments, risk assessments, environmental audit and remediation projects concurrently while conducting planning referrals, compliance inspections, training and liaison with EPA, lawyers, stakeholders, etc.

What project/s are you currently working on?

Developing a ‘whole of council’ Contaminated Land Management Framework and conducting a Sustainability and Climate Resilience Review of a park sited on a legacy landfill.

What part of your job do you enjoy most?

Knowing that I have consciously chosen to get my hands dirty to facilitate healing country to ensure the mess we inherited is not kicked down the road for our kids to deal with. I will leave this beautiful land in a better condition than when I popped up and revert to becoming top soil. My approach has evolved from ‘remediating soil’ to ‘infecting minds’ with the urgency to rejuvenate, regenerate and revitalise soil and habitats. It gives me satisfaction when others regurgitate my ideas with their own flavour and take action healing country.

What is one item you could not live without and why?

There is no one thing that I can’t live without. Life is beautiful but has an expiry date and for me it is sweetest spending quality time with family and friends preferably in nature. Being a nature lover, I have been fortunate to have undertaken sustainability assignments in South East Asia, Australasia and North America. For me, time in nature is precious, be it working on conservation of critically endangered species in high conservation value habitats or watching a spider hunting in the garden.

Article Published on 26/02/2024

The statements, analyses, opinions, information and conclusions that may be found in the articles of this publication are those of the author and not of the Australasian Land & Groundwater Association Ltd (ALGA), which only acts in the capacity as publisher. No part of this publication can be regarded as legal advice. Although care has been taken in preparing this publication, neither ALGA nor the author represent or warrant that the information supplied is current, complete or accurate. To the full extent permitted by law, the author and ALGA do not accept any liability, or owe a duty of care, to any person in respect of any such information. No person should rely in any way on the content of this publication and are encouraged to seek independent legal or other professional advice, if required.

Last week, ALGA held its much anticipated Chlorinated Hydrocarbons Groundwater Fate & Transport Symposium in Adelaide. One of our event committee members, Melinda Morris, provided the following wrap up on the two-day event:

Day One – The Symposium

Adelaide was the perfect city to host this year's ALGA"s Groundwater Fate and Transport Symposium on Chlorinated Hydrocarbons.

Set in the leafy surrounds of Adelaide University’s Waite campus on a warm Thursday in February, almost 100 of our technical community came together to share stories of discovery and insight into this group of recalcitrant chemicals with exposure pathways posing real risks to human health.

The day kicked off with a keynote address from international superstar Robbie Ettinger. Robbie set the scene for a day of animated industry discourse amongst like-minded colleagues. Robbie spoke on how, when properly curated and used, attenuation factors can deliver better outcomes for the assessment and mitigation of chlorinated hydrocarbon contamination.

International, interstate and local industry experts spoke about the myriad of ways to understand and solve problems caused by chlorinated hydrocarbon contamination. A wide variety of approaches into investigation, risk assessment and remediation were presented and important lessons learned were shared. The peppering of questions to speakers and interactive dialogue at the end of each session reflected the collegiate atmosphere of the event.

Punching above its small-town weight class speakers from Adelaide talked about the creation of a South Australian vapour intrusion database, successful bioremediaion of legacy contamination in tight clays using Botany cultured microbes and the highly effective pump and treat system of trees. The day closed with banter and beverages at the Strathmore Hotel in the city.

Day Two – the Tour

A friendly group of science enthusiasts braved an unseasonably cool morning for the symposium tour. It started at the internationally renowned Drill Core Library where we heard the tale of how the South Australian government phoenixed from the ashes of the Clovelly Park contamination crisis to create a nation leading orphaned site contamination management program and deliver the world-class Tonsley Innovation District.

Renewal SA introduced the tour with a short history; from the closure Mitsubishi car manufacturing plant in 2008, describing the challenges of remediating the 61 hectare site along the way, to delivering an integrated mixed land-use precinct comprising high-value manufacturing, educational, commercial and residential developments.

Leading us through the industrial fabric of the main automotive building and out along boundary of the plant, Rory Lane from Blue Sphere Environmental gave colour, depth and interest to the tour’s narrative. The tour included seeing the wonderous tall phytoremediation gums with commentary by Mark Chapman from AECOM (aka the tree guy). Those on the tour agreed it was an informative, fun outing.

A big thank-you to the ALGA symposium sub-committee for their efforts in getting this event happening. A special shout out goes to our session chairs Daniel Hodges, David Jackson, Casey O’Farell and lastly Joe Duran who, as our sub-committee chair, managed to do the near impossible and schedule the symposium to coincide with Adelaide festival season. Thank you also to Datanest for being such a supportive sponsor. I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did.

Melinda.

Article Published on 26/02/2024

The statements, analyses, opinions, information and conclusions that may be found in the articles of this publication are those of the author and not of the Australasian Land & Groundwater Association Ltd (ALGA), which only acts in the capacity as publisher. No part of this publication can be regarded as legal advice. Although care has been taken in preparing this publication, neither ALGA nor the author represent or warrant that the information supplied is current, complete or accurate. To the full extent permitted by law, the author and ALGA do not accept any liability, or owe a duty of care, to any person in respect of any such information. No person should rely in any way on the content of this publication and are encouraged to seek independent legal or other professional advice, if required.

The Australasian Land and Groundwater Association (ALGA) Environmental Auditor Special Interest Group (Auditor SIG) is a national representative body, with Auditors from all jurisdictions in Australia. The Environmental Auditor SIG was formed by ALGA to represent and promote statutory contaminated land Auditor interests throughout Australia – although Auditors have different titles in different States, we use the generic term “Contaminated Land Auditor” in our communications as representing all the different titles ascribed in each State and Territory. One of the five Auditor SIG purpose statements is to “Support Auditor and Auditing Continuous Improvement”.

It is acknowledged that Auditors operate across a range of different companies, from tier one consultants who employ several Auditors, to a single Auditor who is self-employed. Recognising the various levels of support available to the Auditing community, the Auditor SIG is launching an informal Auditor Networking Program.

The aim of the Program is to connect appointed Auditors with like-minded professionals located within the jurisdiction in which they operate. This initiative is not intended as a means to seek professional advice on projects but rather as an opportunity to connect with one or more Auditors who understand the journey, pressures, and challenges faced in their day-to-day role as an Auditor. All discussions will be strictly confidential.

Through the Program you will be given the name and contact details of one or more Auditors, it will then be over to you to organise the first meeting. This could be a Microsoft Teams call or a coffee at a local café.

If you feel you could benefit from the Program, the first step is for you to contact the Auditor SIG Chair Mr Jonathan Thom, via email (jthom@nationpartners.com.au) or mobile phone (+61 448 977 540). Approval will be sought prior to sharing your contact details with another Auditor.

Refer to ALGA Disclaimer Statement regarding any discussions held as part of Auditor SIG Networking Program.

Article Published on 26/02/2024

The statements, analyses, opinions, information and conclusions that may be found in the articles of this publication are those of the author and not of the Australasian Land & Groundwater Association Ltd (ALGA), which only acts in the capacity as publisher. No part of this publication can be regarded as legal advice. Although care has been taken in preparing this publication, neither ALGA nor the author represent or warrant that the information supplied is current, complete or accurate. To the full extent permitted by law, the author and ALGA do not accept any liability, or owe a duty of care, to any person in respect of any such information. No person should rely in any way on the content of this publication and are encouraged to seek independent legal or other professional advice, if required.