Chapter 14: Inequality in Australia

While the advocates of globalisation have argued that increased free trade and economic restructuring are good for people, there is mounting evidence that Australia is becoming a more unequal society. In this chapter, we review this evidence. We begin by analysing some of the ways people talk about inequality, especially in terms of the distribution of income and wealth. We then focus on the problem of defi ning and measuring income inequality. We examine some research on economic inequality and ask whether income inequality in Australia has become worse in recent years. There is also concern about an increase in poverty, with some research suggesting that the incidence has doubled since 1975. As Craig McGregror observes, Australians have long believed that they are pa

Further reading

Chapter summary pp 339 of PDF
Globalising Inequalities
Jan Pakulski
(Click on the title for more information)
Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 2005, pp194-209
Download excerpt (PDF)

‘Child and family poverty in the “lucky country”’by Freda Briggs
Children and Families: Australian Perspectives
edited by Freda Briggs
(Click on the title for more information)
Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 1994, pp. 68-83.
Download excerpt (PDF)

Useful links

Parliamentary Library: Poverty rates by electorate
http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rn/2004-05/05rn49.htm

‘Examining Recent Changes in Income Distribution in Australia’ (2003) by Peter Saunders, Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales
http://www.sprc.unsw.edu.au/dp/DP130.pdf

Australian Association of Social Workers
http://www.aasw.asn.au/

Inequality.org
http://www.demos.org/inequality/