IF you were an employer and had two resumes exactly the same, except one belonged to a Mary Smith and the other to a John Smith, who would you choose?

Experts say an overwhelming number of people would choose John Smith because often men are seen to be more capable.

Figures reveal Gladstone has the third worst gender pay gap out of 73 Queensland local government areas, with the region's men getting paid about $42,600 a year more than women - that's 115% more.

The average Gladstone man earns about $79,600 and the average woman earns $37,000.

National Council of Women member Elise Stephenson wants to instigate change.

"In general it's simply the way our society is structured," she said.

"It makes me angry that this is the accepted way to treat our society by devaluing women."

University of Queensland political science professor Gillian Whitehouse said sexism still existed and was often subtle.

She also said employers often made subtle assumptions about women and their capacity and commitment to a job because there was always the possibility they would need to go on leave to have children.

"Parenthood does have a negative impact on women but not men usually," she said.

Prof Whitehouse said people in the 1950s assumed the equal pay debate would have been solved within a few decades.

"(But) the pay gap has been relatively static for quite a while now," she said.

"It was in the 1970s in Australia we had a sign of narrowing the gender pay gap … but it's been very slow in recent decades.

"It's certainly taking a longer time to erode than we would have first thought."

IN AUSTRALIA:

• Pay gap is 18.8%, almost $300 a week
• On average, a woman has to work 66 extra days to equal a man's pay
• Industries with the highest pay gaps: financial and insurance services (29.6%), health care (29.1%) and real estate (28.7%)
• Industries with lowest pay gaps: public administration and safety (7.2%), accommodation and food (9%) and electricity, water and waste (9.1%)

- APN NEWSDESK