WGEA Employer Statement

Play Matters Australia (PMA)

Established in 1973 by women who recognised a community need, Play Matters Australia (PMA) enriches lives through the power of connection and play. Guided by our values—creativity and fun, collaboration, inclusivity, accountability, and contemporary practice—we are committed to fostering an equitable, supportive, and inclusive workplace for all employees. Achieving gender equity is integral to our vision of playful, connected communities and for delivering impactful services to the children, families, and communities we serve.

Our Workforce and Context

PMA’s workforce is predominantly female, comprising paid employees, volunteers, and contractors who are vital to our operations. Operating outside formal education and regulated early childhood education and care (ECEC) sectors, PMA uniquely supports children, families, and communities through a community-based hub and spoke model, addressing diverse needs.

PMA is committed to challenging gender biases that threaten equity. Our work with children and families to create safe play and connection opportunities is driven by passion and love—qualities often mischaracterised as undemanding and female-oriented.

PMA’s workforce is largely contractual, with most employees bound to Award wages. We recognise structural factors contributing to our gender pay gap, including a disproportionate amount of women compared to men in lower award level roles.

Actions Supporting Equity at PMA

PMA acknowledges the gender pay gap and its impact on women’s remuneration, career advancement, and financial safety and stability. We understand these disadvantages extend beyond financial aspects, affecting emotional and psychological well-being, work-life balance, and overall well-being.

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported. We celebrate our progress toward achieving equity, including:

• Leadership by a female Board Chair and a female Chief Executive Officer
• A Board comprising 75% women
• Flexible work arrangements exceeding legislative requirements, with many employees utilising these options to suit personal commitments
• Employee surveys highlighting the value of flexibility, including work-from-home options, adjustable hours and PMA valuing family responsibility
• Active promotion of internal job opportunities, encouraging career advancement within the organisation.

Our Path Forward

To reduce the gender pay gap and foster pay equity, we are taking purposeful steps to address contributing factors. Key initiatives include:

• Developing a remuneration policy to ensure fair, transparent, and consistent pay practices
• Conducting an award analysis to verify appropriate pay levels in the Social Community Homecare and Disability (SCHADS) Award
• Strengthening policies against sexual harassment, with clear expectations and accessible reporting mechanisms
• Incorporating diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as standing agenda items in operations meetings, creating a two-way communication channel
• Improving data collection practices to capture detailed information on employee diversity, focusing on demographics such as ethnicity and migration status.

Through these actions, we aim to live out our values and purpose, creating an environment where every worker, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation, feels empowered to thrive and contribute to our shared purpose of enriching lives through the power of connection and play.