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The Effects of Changes in Family Composition and Employment Patterns on the Distribution of Income in Australia: 1982 to 1997-1998

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  • David Johnson

    (Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne)

  • Roger Wilkins

    (Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne)

Abstract

We examine income and expenditure distributions over the last two decades using Australian Bureau of Statistics unit record data, presenting both nonparametric kernel density estimates and summary measures of the distributions. Standard errors of summary measures are also reported to facilitate assessments of the statistical significance of inferred distributional changes. The results show that there was a significant increase in private income inequality over the 1980s and 1990s, with most of the increase occurring by the early 1990s. However, the increase in dispersion for disposable income was modest, implying taxes and transfers acted to mitigate the increases in inequality emanating from changes in private income. Using a semiparametric procedure developed by DiNardo, Fortin and Lemieux (1996), we examine the effects on the distribution of private income of changes in the family type composition of the population and changes in the distribution across families of employment, educational attainment and number and ages of dependent children. We find that half of the increase in private income inequality is explained by changes in these characteristics. Changes in the distribution of work across families - for example, an increase in both two-earner families and no-earner families - were the single most important source of the increase in private income inequality, with such changes on their own accounting for half the increase in inequality. Changes in the family type composition of the population also acted, to a lesser extent, to increase inequality. Changes in demographic characteristics (the age, education and country of birth composition of the population) acted to reduce income inequality, while changes in the distribution of the number and ages of dependent children across families had no effect on income inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • David Johnson & Roger Wilkins, 2003. "The Effects of Changes in Family Composition and Employment Patterns on the Distribution of Income in Australia: 1982 to 1997-1998," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2003n19, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    • Handle: RePEc:iae:iaewps:wp2003n19
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    File URL: http://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/downloads/working_paper_series/wp2003n19.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jeff Borland & Roger Wilkins, 1996. "Earnings Inequality in Australia," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 72(216), pages 7-23, March.
    2. Garry F. Barrett & Thomas F. Crossley & Christopher Worswick, 2000. "Consumption and Income Inequality in Australia," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 76(233), pages 116-138, June.
    3. Peter Dawkins & Paul Gregg & Rosanna Scutella, 2005. "Employment Polarisation in Australia," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 81(255), pages 336-350, December.
    4. Borland, J., 1998. "Earnings Inequality in Australia: Changes, Causes and Consequences," CEPR Discussion Papers 390, Centre for Economic Policy Research, Research School of Economics, Australian National University.
    5. Burtless, Gary, 1999. "Effects of growing wage disparities and changing family composition on the U.S. income distribution," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 43(4-6), pages 853-865, April.
    6. Barrett, Garry F & Crossley, Thomas F & Worswick, Christopher, 2000. "Consumption and Income Inequality in Australia," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 76(233), pages 116-138, June.
    7. Biewen, Martin, 2002. "Bootstrap inference for inequality, mobility and poverty measurement," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 108(2), pages 317-342, June.
    8. Peter Dawkins & Paul Gregg & Rosanna Scutella, 2002. "The Growth of Jobless Households in Australia," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 35(2), pages 133-154, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Michael Keating, 2003. "The Labour Market and Inequality," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 36(4), pages 374-396, December.
    2. Salverda, Wiemer & Checchi, Daniele, 2014. "Labour-Market Institutions and the Dispersion of Wage Earnings," IZA Discussion Papers 8220, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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