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Examining Recent Changes in Income Distribution in Australia

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  • Peter Saunders

Abstract

This paper analyses recently released ABS data on the distribution of income and examines how inequality has changed since 1994–95 and since the election of the Howard Government in 1995–96. While real disposable incomes increased across the distribution, income inequality has also increased since 1994–95, particularly between 1996–97 and 1999–2000. Over the entire period from 1994–95 to 2000–01, mean income in the top quintile increased by $111 a week, more than eight times the increase of $13 a week in the lowest quintile. Since the Howard government came to office, the estimates indicate that almost half (47.3 per cent) of the total increase in disposable income was received by those in the top quintile — implying that half of the income generated by economic growth has been of no benefit to the bottom four-fifths (in income terms) of the population. Comparison with earlier research also shows that income inequality has, in some respects, increased more rapidly since the mid-1990s than during the 1980s.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Saunders, 2004. "Examining Recent Changes in Income Distribution in Australia," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 15(1), pages 51-73, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ecolab:v:15:y:2004:i:1:p:51-73
    DOI: 10.1177/103530460401500103
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ann Harding, 1997. "The Suffering Middle: Trends in Income Inequality in Australia, 1982 to 1993–94," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 30(4), pages 341-358, December.
    2. Sen, Amartya, 1997. "On Economic Inequality," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198292975, Decembrie.
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    Cited by:

    1. Diego Martínez-Navarro & Ignacio Amate-Fortes & Almudena Guarnido-Rueda, 2020. "Inequality and development: is the Kuznets curve in effect today?," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 37(3), pages 703-735, October.
    2. Anthony B. Atkinson & Andrew Leigh, 2007. "The Distribution of Top Incomes in Australia," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 83(262), pages 247-261, September.
    3. Silvia Mendolia & Peter Siminski, 2016. "New Estimates of Intergenerational Mobility in Australia," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 92(298), pages 361-373, September.
    4. Youjin Hahn & Stephen Matteo Miller & Hee-Seung Yang, 2016. "Inequality, Risk-Sharing and the Crisis: A View From Australia," Monash Economics Working Papers 15-16, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    5. Peter Saunders & Bruce Bradbury, 2006. "Monitoring Trends in Poverty and Income Distribution: Data, Methodology and Measurement," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 82(258), pages 341-364, September.

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