ORCID Profile
0000-0002-8326-8197
Current Organisation
University of Western Australia
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Labour Economics | Economic Models And Forecasting | Other Economics | Applied Economics | Other Studies in Human Society | Economics Not Elsewhere Classified | Industrial Relations | Social Change | Gender Specific Studies | Social Policy
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Changing work patterns | Industrial relations | The aged | Economic issues not elsewhere classified | Gender | Work not elsewhere classified | Employment | Gender aspects of education |
Related Links
Publications
Financial Literacy and Self‐Employment
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-06-2023
Abstract: This article uses in idual‐level data collected in the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey in 2016 to econometrically explore the direction of causation between financial literacy and self‐employment. The empirical approach is based on applying instrumental variables (IV) analysis in a three‐outcome labour supply model (i.e. self‐employment, employee employment and non‐employment) that controls for selection into employment. In keeping with a small number of studies, the analysis suggests that there is a positive relationship between financial literacy and self‐employment. The analysis also suggests that the likely causal direction is from financial literacy to self‐employment. However, this is also found for employee employment. Therefore, policies aimed at increasing financial literacy will likely not only increase self‐employment but also employee employment. This suggests that financial literacy may be a form of “general human capital,” such as education, work experience or training. However, the impact of financial literacy on self‐employment is not larger (more positive) for self‐employment compared to employee employment. Clearly much more research is needed to understand the numerous relationships between financial literacy and other labour market outcomes.
The Australian labour market in 2020
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 12-04-2021
DOI: 10.1177/00221856211002224
Abstract: This article provides a review of the Australian labour market in 2020. It outlines the monetary and fiscal responses to COVID-19 (including JobKeeper, JobSeeker and JobMaker policies), describes trends in employment, unemployment and underemployment and summarises the Fair Work Commission’s 2020 minimum wage decision. Data show that in the year to September 2020, total monthly hours worked fell by 5.9% for males and 3.8% for females. Job loss was proportionately larger amongst young people (aged 20–29) and older people. It was also disproportionately higher in female-dominated sectors such as Accommodation and Food Services. Unlike the earlier recession (1991), when more than 90% of jobs lost were previously held by males, a significant share (around 40%) of the job loss in the 2020 recession (year to August 2020) were jobs previously held by females. Notwithstanding a pick-up in employment towards year’s end, the future remains uncertain.
Labour Markets and Wages in 2008
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 20-05-2009
Abstract: The Australian economy in 2008 was one of contrasts: the resource based states continued to grow at relatively higher rates than the remainder wage and employment outcomes varied widely for different groups in the labour force and domestic climate change policies achieved prominence just as a global economic downturn led to rapidly changing macroeconomic conditions. Within this rapidly changing context, ongoing concerns with labour utilization, wage equity and issues of compliance appear likely to grow in significance.
Changing gender role attitudes and the changing gender gap in labour force participation
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 23-06-2023
DOI: 10.1177/00221856231177118
Abstract: This paper uses micro-data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey to examine the relationship between gender role attitudes and the labour supply of men and women. Using the Wellington decomposition technique, the paper also considers how much of the change in the gender gap in labour force participation (LFP) between 2001/5 and 2015/19 may be explained by changes in the gender role attitudes of adult women and men. The results show a 6.5 percentage point convergence in the gender gap in LFP between the two periods. Nearly half the convergence arises from a change in the schooling attainment of men and women. Just over one-third is due to changes in gender role attitudes (faster adoption of egalitarian gender role attitudes by women).
Contrasting Economic Analyses of Equal Remuneration: The Social and Community Services (SACS) Case
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 21-01-2013
Abstract: Industrial tribunals and stakeholders involved in wage hearings are sometimes called upon to consider and weigh contrasting evidence that, due to its technical nature, may be inaccessible to non-specialists. This article investigates the ex le of two different economic analyses of gender and pay that were submitted to Fair Work Australia as part of an ‘equal remuneration’ case for workers in the social and community services sector. It demonstrates how the different analyses partly reflect the different theoretical approaches to the analysis of labour exchange implicit in the alternative submissions, and investigates the strengths and weaknesses these approaches posed when attempting to explain gendered patterns of pay in the care sector. The article argues that understanding the key assumptions and definitions underlying each type of economic analysis can contribute to an improved comprehension of the different viewpoints on gender pay equity among economists. Of particular importance are: the contrasting approaches to understanding differences between specific jobs and a group of jobs categorized as occupations the meanings attached to the terms ‘value’ and ‘productivity’ and the distinction between discrimination and undervaluation.
The Australian labour market in 2019
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 16-03-2020
Abstract: 1 This article provides an overview of the key features of the labour market in 2019, with historical data providing insight into recent trends. In 2019, the female labour force participation rate reached an all-time high of 61.3%, 10 percentage points lower than the male rate. Disaggregated analysis shows this growth stems from rising participation amongst older women. This, in turn, is underpinned by a growth in feminised sectors of the labour market, notably the Health Care and Social Assistance sector. Since 2000 this sector has contributed 22.6% to total employment growth and at 2019 accounted for 13.5% of the Australian workforce. There has also been a growth in part-time and casual employment over recent years, with the latter now accounting for 25% of all employees. These are concerning developments, with estimates showing that 58.6% of casuals are not guaranteed a minimum number of hours of work in their job. The article notes that wages growth remains below that required to stimulate employment growth, and that a continued focus on conventional labour market indicators has the potential to lead to misguided policy formulation.
Understanding the gender gap in financial literacy: The role of culture
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-03-2023
DOI: 10.1111/JOCA.12517
Abstract: Using data from the 2015 China Household Financial Survey (CHFS) this paper examines the effect of culture on the gender gap in financial literacy. We exploit geographical differences in culture in China, comparing outcomes between rural and urban areas and between areas in the east and west (Shanghai and Chongqing). Using the Blinder‐Oaxaca decomposition we show that, nationally, the gender gap in financial literacy is entirely the product of differences in the way men and women acquire financial literacy. It is a result consistent with cultural effects. When considering just women in Shanghai and Chongqing we observe a raw financial literacy differential of 13% (favoring Shanghai). This gap is also the product of differences in the way financial literacy is acquired. It provides additional evidence as to the importance of culture when it comes to understanding financial literacy.
Is there a part-time/ full-time pay differential in Australia?
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 14-08-2014
Abstract: The incidence of part-time employment in Australia is high by international standards and the trend towards part-time work is on the rise. In this paper, we show that, on average, part-timers earn significantly less than full-timers. After controlling for human capital characteristics, the adjusted hourly earnings gap between men employed full-time and women employed part-time is equal to 22.5%. When comparing women only, the human capital adjusted part-time/full-time gap is equal to 8.9%. The latter falls to 1.1% when industry and occupation are controlled for, reflecting important segregation effects. These findings are consistent with international evidence. Consistent with other Australian studies, we also find that the part-time pay gap varies with casual status. In the female labour market, our human capital adjusted models show a part-time casual premium equal to 3.6% relative to the base group (women employed full-time on a non-casual basis).
Individual contracting, collective bargaining and wages in Australia
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-08-2009
Is Australia Really a World Leader in Closing the Gender Gap?
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-2010
Exploring the gender difference in multiple job holding
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2020
DOI: 10.1111/IRJ.12300
Understanding leadership experiences: the need for story sharing and feminist literature as a survival manual for leadership
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 11-2009
Gender, Financial Literacy and Pension Savings*
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-12-2022
Abstract: The relationship between the gender gap in financial literacy and pension savings is examined in this paper. In Australia, in iduals have considerable discretion with respect to how their pension savings are managed. We argue that financial literacy should have a positive impact on the profitability of these decisions. Analysis based on micro‐data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey suggests that a sizable share of the gender gap in pension savings can be attributed to the gender gap in financial literacy. Therefore, policies aimed at improving the financial literacy of women should help improve the living standards of women in retirement.
The Australian labour market in 2021
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 13-05-2022
DOI: 10.1177/00221856221100387
Abstract: This article provides a review of the Australian labour market in 2021. It describes patterns of employment, unemployment and other key labour market outcomes in the year, including wages. In the year to September 2021, total employment increased by 2.6% for males and 2.2% for females, driven by a growth in full-time employment. While most labour market indicators returned to their pre-pandemic levels in 2021, young adults, particular men, casual employees and the self-employed were most disadvantaged by COVID-19. New South Wales and Victorian residents were similarly adversely affected. Notwithstanding inflationary fears, in the year to September 2021, headline inflation increased by 3.0% and the wage price index by 2.2%, rendering a fall in real wages during the year. Despite record low unemployment at year's end and a positive economic outlook for 2022, the future remains unclear.
Labour markets and wages in Australia in 2012
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 06-2013
Abstract: During 2012, the labour market continued to show considerable ersity in outcomes for different labour market groups. Employment growth was slower and the number of employees searching for full-time work rose alongside falling participation rates compared with the previous year. Overall, the employment situation for men was not looking as strong as for women, although women continued to exhibit higher levels of labour underutilisation. Earnings indicators suggest increased wages in low-paid sectors, although this was coming off a low base and may be indicative of catch-up for slow growth in recent years. The relative value of the minimum wage is now at its lowest level in six years, suggesting some evidence of growing earnings inequality. Recent debates in the mass media about labour productivity and industrial relations regulation appear to have limited grounding in national accounting and labour market data.
Labour Markets and Wages in Australia in 2011
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 28-05-2012
Abstract: In a context of international economic uncertainty and uneven domestic economic performance, labour market outcomes showed considerable ersity. Wide-ranging outcomes in employment numbers, patterns of full-time and part-time work, labour utilization, and changes in earnings were evident both across and within industries. Men’s full-time employment appears to be one labour market area that is experiencing particular decline as casualization of the workforce continues and men’s traditional industries of employment experience subdued economic growth. Women’s employment appears to be faring relatively well in terms of growth, but large and persistent gender pay gaps remain evident in particular feminized industries, including financial and insurance services and health and social assistance. Predictions made earlier this decade that population ageing might ensure relative stability in employment among younger workers have not yet been fulfilled. Younger workers continue to experience relatively high levels of unemployment and underutilization, with the immediate employment experiences of younger men being relatively unfavourable compared with younger women in the workforce.
Sexual orientation and wage discrimination
Publisher: Emerald
Date: 19-07-2019
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to document the wage effects associated with sexual orientation and to examine whether the wage gap has improved following recent institutional changes which favour sexual minorities. Ordinary least squares and quantile regressions are estimated using Australian data for 2010–2012 and 2015–2017, with the analysis disaggregated by sector of employment. Blinder–Oaxaca decompositions are used to quantify unexplained wage gaps. Relative to heterosexual men, in 2015–2017 gay men in the public and private sectors had wages which were equivalent to heterosexual men at all points in the wage distribution. In the private sector: highly skilled lesbians experienced a wage penalty of 13 per cent low-skilled bisexual women faced a penalty of 11 per cent, as did bisexual men at the median (8 per cent penalty). In the public sector low-skilled lesbians and low-skilled bisexual women significant experienced wage premiums. Between 2010–2012 and 2015–2017 the pay position of highly skilled gay men has significantly improved with the convergence driven by favourable wage (rather than composition) effects. The results provide important benchmarks against which the treatment of sexual minorities may be monitored. The analysis of the sexual minority wage gaps by sector and position on the wage distribution and insight into the effect of institutions on the wages of sexual minorities.
The Impact of `Work Choices' on Women in Low Paid Employment in Australia: A Qualitative Analysis
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 06-2008
Abstract: This article summarizes the effects of the Howard Government's `Work Choices' amendments to the Workplace Relations Act 1996, based on qualitative analysis of its impact on 121 low paid women workers. The main effects of the regulatory changes are on job security, income, voice, working time and redundancy pay. The analysis draws attention to the nexus between protection from unfair dismissal and security of working time and employee voice: many of those interviewed in the study had lost access to protection from unfair dismissal and as a consequence could no longer effectively influence their working hours, or request flexibility. Employer prerogative was perceived to have strengthened in many of their workplaces, with consequences for the intensity of work. The analysis suggests that improvements in minimum standards and job security are vital if low paid workers like those included in the study are to exercise voice over working time and avoid significant deteriorations in their pay and conditions.
Labour Markets and Wages in Australia: 2010
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 06-2011
Abstract: In this article we present data on earnings and hours in 2010 and, using data over a longer time frame, show how the character of the Australian labour market has significantly changed in recent decades. Among other things, we demonstrate a continued shift towards part-time work and, across full-time and part-time labour markets, a change in the distribution of jobs towards more highly skilled occupations. We continue to argue that traditional indicators of labour-market activity, such as headline unemployment and earnings in full-time employment, are only able to partially explain the health of the labour market. There is an urgent need to better understand other dimensions such as underemployment, part-time employment and part-time earnings.
The Evolving Wage Structure of Young Adults in Australia: 2001 to 2019
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-05-2021
Abstract: Using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey together with OLS and quantile regressions, this paper examines the changing returns to education and the evolving wage structure of young adults (aged 25–34 years) between 2001 and 2019. Estimates show that real wage growth was strong for both males and females over the 2000s, underpinned by wage structure effects. Between 2010/11 and 2018/19 wage growth was flat (zero) for males and subdued for females. Institutional factors are thought to underpin the growth in wages of low‐paid females over recent years, while education investments underpin recent wage growth amongst high‐paid females. Since 2001/2 the wage premium on a degree qualification has declined for males and females. There has been no change in the adjusted gender wage gap across successive cohorts of 25–34 year olds.
Labour Markets and Wages in Australia in 2009
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 06-2010
Abstract: The global financial crisis (GFC) of 2008 made it clear that traditional indicators of labour market activity such as headline unemployment, labour force participation and earnings in full-time employment can only partially explain the health of the labour market. In this article we argue the need for a nuanced approach that takes into fuller consideration issues related to hours of work and part-time earnings. Selected industry sectors show stark differences in labour market outcomes when these issues are examined.
Understanding the Gender Gap in Financial Literacy: Evidence from Australia
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-04-2019
COVID-19 and the gender gap in research productivity: understanding the effect of having primary responsibility for the care of children
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 19-04-2023
Related Organisations
Related Funding Activities
Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP0347060
Start Date: 2003
End Date: 12-2005
Amount: $57,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityDiscovery Projects - Grant ID: DP0211736
Start Date: 07-2002
End Date: 12-2003
Amount: $24,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityDiscovery Projects - Grant ID: DP0209261
Start Date: 2002
End Date: 06-2005
Amount: $130,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity