Australian women and the gender divide
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Australian women and the gender divide Presentation to the China Australia Governance Program Rebecca Cassells Acting Senior Research Fellow 21 May 2009
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Australian women and the gender divide. Presentation to the China Australia Governance Program. Rebecca Cassells Acting Senior Research Fellow 21 May 2009. The Generations. Background. Economic and social status of Australian women Changes over time Comparison between men and women - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Australian women and the gender divide
Australian women and the gender dividePresentation to the China Australia Governance Program
Rebecca CassellsActing Senior Research Fellow
21 May 2009
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The Generations
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Background
● Economic and social status of Australian women
● Changes over time
● Comparison between men and women
● Employment, educational attainment, income, wealth and lifetime earnings.
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Background
● Essentially, we seek to answer the question:
“Have women gained equal standing in Australian society today?”
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Social and economic changes – a brief history
● Right to vote – 1902
● Legislation – 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s
● Contraceptive pill – 1961
● Abolished university fees – 1974
● Booming economy – 1990s
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Women ≠ Babies
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Changing age-specific fertility,1927-2007
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Educational Attainment
● 53% of women have a post-school qualification, 55% of men
● Generation Y (those aged in 20s), 46% women, 42% men
● Currently there are almost 80,000 more women than men enrolled in University
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Labour force participation
● Increased from 48% in1986 to 58% in 2008.
● Increasing for women with young children
● Increased pressure to “balance” work and family
● 70 per cent of part-time jobs are held by women
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How are women working?
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Men still dominate senior leadership positions
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Division in wages, wealth and retirement
● Gender Wage Gap
● Retirement incomes
● Superannuation
● Lifetime earnings
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Gender Wage Gaps
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Disposable income of retirees, 2006
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Principal source of income of retirees, 2007
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Superannuation balances by age group and gender, 2007
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Gaps in expected lifetime earnings, with and without children, 2006
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Gaps in expected lifetime earnings, children and educational attainment, 2006
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Conclusion and discussion
● Women are now engaged more in the workforce
● Delaying and having fewer children
● Highly educated, especially the younger generations
● Struggle to balance work and family
● Gender Wage gaps are closing
● Large gaps in retirement incomes, superannuation and life-time earnings.
● Paid parental leave
www.natsem.canberra.edu.au
