IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/fli/journl/25983.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Symposium 4: Australia's Other Two-Speed Economy: Gender, Employment and Earnings in the Slow Lane

Author

Listed:
  • Jefferson, T
  • Preston, A

Abstract

Talk of a 'two-speed economy' was prevalent in Australia in the first half of 2010. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry argued against a significant increase in the minimum wage on the basis that most minimum wage earners were employed in the 'slower' sectors of the Australian economy, where employers could not afford increased employment costs. This article considers the recent Fair Work Australia wage decision in the context of the argument that Australia has a two-speed economy. Using earnings and employment data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, we find that it is possible to identify significantly different patterns to the earnings outcomes experienced within specific sections of the Australian economy. There are some clear 'tracks', particularly between men and women in the private sector. The data suggest that the recent minimum wage decision will play an important role in countering labour market inequities, particularly those that are evident in Australia's gender pay gap. Further work remains to be done, however, and the forthcoming equal remuneration case will provide a further opportunity for Fair Work Australia to contribute to gender pay equity in Australia.

Suggested Citation

  • Jefferson, T & Preston, A, 2010. "Symposium 4: Australia's Other Two-Speed Economy: Gender, Employment and Earnings in the Slow Lane," Australian Bulletin of Labour, National Institute of Labour Studies, vol. 36(3), pages 327-334.
  • Handle: RePEc:fli:journl:25983
    Note: Jefferson, T.; Preston, A. 2010. Symposium 4: Australia's Other Two-Speed Economy: Gender, Employment and Earnings in the Slow Lane. Australian Bulletin of Labour, Vol. 36 No. 3, pp.327-334.
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2328/25983
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pannell, David J., 1997. "Sensitivity analysis of normative economic models: theoretical framework and practical strategies," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 16(2), pages 139-152, May.
    2. Glenn Jenkins & Chun-Yan Kuo & Arnold C. Harberger, 2011. "Cost-Benefit Analysis for Investment Decisions: Chapter 4 (Discounting and Alternative Investment Criteria)," Development Discussion Papers 2011-04, JDI Executive Programs.
    3. Roberts, Anna M. & Pannell, David J. & Doole, Graeme & Vigiak, Olga, 2012. "Agricultural land management strategies to reduce phosphorus loads in the Gippsland Lakes, Australia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 106(1), pages 11-22.
    4. Pannell, David J. & Roberts, Anna M., 2010. "Australia’s National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality: a retrospective assessment," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 54(4), pages 1-20.
    5. Stefan Hajkowicz & Andrew Higgins & Kristen Williams & Daniel P. Faith & Michael Burton, 2007. "Optimisation and the selection of conservation contracts," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 51(1), pages 39-56, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Guthrie, R. & Purse, Kevin & Lurie, P., 2006. "Workers' Compensation Western Australia; a Case Study 1993 - 2004," Australian Bulletin of Labour, National Institute of Labour Studies, vol. 32(1), pages 62-73.
    2. Emile Noël, 1996. "Quelques réflexions sur les perspectives politico-institutionnelles de l'intégration européenne en 2000 et au-delà," EUI-RSCAS Working Papers 39, European University Institute (EUI), Robert Schuman Centre of Advanced Studies (RSCAS).
    3. Karin Fierke & Antje Wiener, 1999. "Constructing Institutional Interests: EU and NATO Enlargement," EUI-RSCAS Working Papers 14, European University Institute (EUI), Robert Schuman Centre of Advanced Studies (RSCAS).
    4. Leslie Holmes, 1997. "The Democratic State or State Democracy? Problems of Post-Communist Transition," EUI-RSCAS Working Papers 48, European University Institute (EUI), Robert Schuman Centre of Advanced Studies (RSCAS).
    5. Rodriguez Iglesias, 1996. "Le pouvoir judiciaire de la Communauté européenne au stade actuel de l'évolution de l'Union," EUI-RSCAS Working Papers 41, European University Institute (EUI), Robert Schuman Centre of Advanced Studies (RSCAS).
    6. Andre Liebich, 1998. "Ethnic Minorities and Long-Term Implications of EU Enlargement," EUI-RSCAS Working Papers 49, European University Institute (EUI), Robert Schuman Centre of Advanced Studies (RSCAS).
    7. Sloane, Peter J, 2010. "Symposium 7: The Fair Work Australia Minimum Wage Decision Viewed From Afar," Australian Bulletin of Labour, National Institute of Labour Studies, vol. 36(3), pages 346-350.
    8. Smith, M, 2009. "Gender Pay Equity Reform in Australia: What is the Way Forward?," Australian Bulletin of Labour, National Institute of Labour Studies, vol. 35(4), pages 652-670.
    9. Eckard Rehbinder, 1997. "Environmental Agreements. A New Instrument of Environmental Policy," EUI-RSCAS Working Papers 45, European University Institute (EUI), Robert Schuman Centre of Advanced Studies (RSCAS).
    10. Keating, Jack, 2009. "Current VET strategies and responsiveness to emerging skills shortages and surpluses," Australian Bulletin of Labour, National Institute of Labour Studies, vol. 35(3), pages 488-527.
    11. Townsend, K. & Charles, M.B., 2008. "Jarhead and Deskilling in the Military: Potential Implications for the Australian Labour Market," Australian Bulletin of Labour, National Institute of Labour Studies, vol. 34(1), pages 64-78.
    12. Jackson, N. & Walter, M., 2010. "Which of Australia's Baby Boomers Expect to Delay their Retirement? An Occupational Overview," Australian Bulletin of Labour, National Institute of Labour Studies, vol. 36(1), pages 29-83.
    13. Amy Verdun, 1998. "The Role of the Delors Committee in the Creation of EMU: An Epistemic Community?," EUI-RSCAS Working Papers 44, European University Institute (EUI), Robert Schuman Centre of Advanced Studies (RSCAS).
    14. Martin, William Craig & Healy, Joshua Gregory, 2009. "Changing work organisation and skill requirements," Australian Bulletin of Labour, National Institute of Labour Studies, vol. 35(2), pages 393-437.
    15. Anderson, Arne M & Ohlsson, Olle, 1998. "Har Göteborgs industri någon framtid ?," Working Papers in Economics 2, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
    16. Hodgkinson, A. & Markey, R., 2007. "Industrial Relations Change in the Illawarra Region of NSW: an Insight Into Responses to the Workplace Relations Act," Australian Bulletin of Labour, National Institute of Labour Studies, vol. 33(1), pages 32-59.
    17. Kelly, R. & Lewis, P., 2010. "The Change in Labour Skills in Australia over the Business Cycle," Australian Bulletin of Labour, National Institute of Labour Studies, vol. 36(3), pages 260-277.
    18. José María Maravall, 1997. "Surviving Accountability," EUI-RSCAS Working Papers 46, European University Institute (EUI), Robert Schuman Centre of Advanced Studies (RSCAS).
    19. Renaud Dehousse, 1998. "European Institutional Architecture after Amsterdam: Parliamentary System or Regulatory Structure?," EUI-RSCAS Working Papers 11, European University Institute (EUI), Robert Schuman Centre of Advanced Studies (RSCAS).
    20. Murray, J., 2009. "Hope Versus Experience: Career Ambition and the Labour Market Expectations of University Educated Women," Australian Bulletin of Labour, National Institute of Labour Studies, vol. 35(4), pages 692-707.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:fli:journl:25983. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Rupali Saikia (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/nilflau.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.