Senator Matt Canavan claims men are overlooked for promotions because of their gender – as he gives a shout out to Andrew Tate

National Senator Matt Canavan has doubled down on his controversial claims that national pay gap data was “useless”, claiming men are overlooked for promotions because of their gender and drawing a strange link with the controversial influencer Andrew Tate.

The Workplace Gender and Equality Agency published gender pay gaps for individual employers for the first time on Tuesday.

It revealed that the average male worker in Australia earned $96,945 on average, while women earned 19 per cent less, $78,484 per year.

After bipartisan leaders shot down his claims that the data had sparked “resentment and division” on Tuesday, Senator Canavan launched a second tirade when asked about the issue on breakfast television on Wednesday.

«However, these data are complete nonsense. Why are all your taxes going to collect a data set that doesn’t compare similar jobs, lumping part-time workers together with full-time workers? he told Nine’s Today.

“The big issue I’m getting feedback about at the moment is that young men, in particular, are constantly told that you don’t get promoted because you’re a man. I hear that all the time.

“This is why Andrew Tate is the most Googled man in the world.”

Tate is a divisive online influencer who is best known for being a self-proclaimed “king of toxic masculinity.”

He faces charges of human trafficking and rape in Romania, allegations he has denied.

When asked about Senator Canavan’s initial claims at a press conference on Tuesday, Liberal deputy leader Sussan Ley said she strongly disagreed with his comments.

“I reject all those comments but, again, people have the right to express their views,” he said.

“We are working hard to show women who did not support us in the last election that we are a different party, that we have their needs and aspirations front and centre.”