More Australian women hold a university degree than men, but on the whole earn less than their male counterparts and carry the lion’s share of housework and childcare, new figures reveal.
The latest installment of the Melbourne Institute’s study of Household Income and Labour Dynamics (HILDA) shows women dominate the massive increase in university attendance over the 15 years from 2001 and 2016.
However, the jump in tertiary educated women has done little to close the gender pay gap.
Between 2001 and 2016 the average weekly earnings of full-time employees increased 23 per cent for males and 22 per cent for females, leaving the pay gap virtually unchanged.
And while Australians believe they are more progressive in their views about traditional gender roles at home and work, the reality is very different.
Dr Lass said there was a significant discrepancy between men and women’s perceptions of a fair share of work.
“HILDA shows most women feel overburdened by household chores, while most men think they do their fair share.”
Men spend an extra hour a week on housework compared to 2002, but their 13.3 hours is short of women’s 20.4 hours.
Both sexes increased their time devoted to caring for children and disabled or elderly relatives, but there was again a gap between men (5.4 hours) and women (11.3 hours).
The HILDA study also showed men spent more time on employment (on average 35.9 hours a week in 2016) than women (24.9 hours).
Among married couples with children, women did 29 per cent of the paid work but about 65 per cent of both housework and care.
https://thenewdaily.com.au/money/welfare/2018/07/31/hilda-report-gender-incomes/
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