A forum on gender pay equity has heard that women earn only 84 per cent of what men are paid, even though it is almost 40 years since the first equal pay case.

Ms Broderick says lower income while working translates to smaller superannuation savings.

She says that has been one of the main issues discussed with her since she became sex discrimination commissioner.

"I have had women particularly older women almost sobbing in front of me telling me their story of retirement savings or lack of retirement savings, or really disparity in retirement savings between women and men," she said.

Source: By ABC Australia