How – and when -Australia’s married women take jobs

Australia’s married women do most of their paid work in their twenties and forties.

This is confirmed in research by Dr Lixin Cai, which the Productivity Commission has just published as part of its visiting academics program.

Economists have known for years that married women have been making ever bigger contributions to both Australia’s national economy and their own families’ finances for decades, by increasingly taking jobs outside their homes.

But detailed research on this important social and economic trend has been scarce.

That has meant that successive governments have found it hard to draw up appropriate policies to deal with this major social phenomenon.

Lixin Cai’s works will help to plug the gaps.

Her paper, called Work Choices of Married Women:Drivers of Change, adds much urgently needed detail to previous studies.

It shows, for example, that just 15 per cent of Australia’s married women take full time jobs outside the home, while they have a child under three.

And fewer than 18 per cent do so when they have even one child aged three to five.

Dr Cai’s research also shows that the participation of Australia’s married women in the nation’s workforce falls off rapidly above the age of 56.

Almost 47 per cent of married women, in that age group, do not take paid work outside their homes.

It is that figure, above all, that will grab Kevin Rudd’s attention.

The Prime Minister has been touring the country over the past week, telling Australians that the nation’s rapidly ageing population will put heavy pressure on Federal finances in the years ahead.

He wants all Australians – including married women – to remain financially independent as long as possible.   And for most of us, that means staying at work.

So don’t be too surprised, later this year, if the Rudd government offers some nice tax breaks to encourage older Australians to keep working.

Dr Cai’s conclusions may not be revolutionary, but they will be welcomed.

She confirms, for example, that the age of children, education levels, partners’ incomes and proficiency with English, all affect married women’s participation in Australia’s  workforce, as do age and health.

Her paper is not always an easy read for those who are not academics. But  Dr Cai publishes enough of her sums to allow her peers to tick, or fail, her work.

That must be respected.

There will still be strong public interest,though,  in Dr Cai’s conclusions.

That’s because she has much to say about the way married Australian women take full or part time employment, over the course of their life and family cycles.

She  reports, for example, that between the ages of 18 and 25,  43 per cent  of Australia’s married women have full time employment, while  23 per cent have part time work.

Only 34 per cent  in this age group, are not employed. (Some might be studying).

The proportion working full time drops to just 32 per cent, among  26 to 35 year olds, while another 34 per cent have  time jobs.

Once again 34 per cent do not have paid work.

Among  36 to 45 year olds, 30 per cent have  full time jobs, outside the home, while  45 per cent have part time employment.

Only 25 per cent do not have paid work.

With 46 to 55 year olds, 38 per cent have full time outside jobs, while another 39 per cent are working part time.

Only 23 per cent do not have paid jobs.

See the full report at www.pc.gov.au