Insurance and financial services remains the worst sector in terms of the gender pay gap, with women receiving 33.5% less in total remuneration than their male counterparts, the latest Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) scorecard shows.

However, this is an improvement from 35% in 2014/15 and 36.1% in the 2013/14.

The scorecard draws from a sample of 12,000 employers and 4 million employees.

It shows men are paid more across all industries, with the average gap at 23.1% or $26,853. This is a 1.6% improvement on the previous year.

Five out of six CEOs are men, the research reveals.

Just above insurance and finance on the scorecard are rental, hiring and real estate services, with a pay gap of 29.3%, and construction at 28%.

The best performers are education and training (9.4% gap), wholesale trade (10%) and public administration and safety (10.5%).

Gender pay gaps increase further up the management ladder, due to non-salary benefits such as bonuses.

WGEA Director Libby Lyons says the data confirms pay gaps in every industry and a lack of female representation in leadership roles.

“At the same time, it shows employers are stepping up to the challenge in greater numbers with proactive gender equality policies. For the first time, more than 70% of employers reported they have policies in place to support gender equality.

“There’s no question we are seeing movement in the right direction, but it’s still too slow.”