Pay Equity and Comparable Worth

Pay equity is the principle that employees undertaking the same or comparable work should receive the same level of remuneration irrespective of their gender. In all areas of HR practice, including determining pay levels, it is unlawful for Australian employers to discriminate between employees purely on the basis of gender. However, in Australia, as elsewhere, the gender pay gap persists.

Why does the gender pay gap persist, who is responsible for it, and what (if anything) can be done about it?