Australian women are better educated than men but still face poorer job prospects and lower incomes.
We see this in Australia’s stubbornly persistent gender pay gap – estimated at nearly 22%.
Our research shows how having children plays a significant part establishing and maintaining these inequalities.
[H]ouseholds where men earn the most still dominate. In 2019, they accounted for 54% of Australian households – compared to 29% of those where earnings were equal and 17% where women were the biggest contributors.
Our research found the transition to parenthood is a key cause of this gender imbalance. Having a child increased the likelihood couples relied on the male partners’ income and reduced the chance of equal-earnings arrangements.
Importantly, we found little evidence of a return to pre-parenthood arrangements a decade after couples had their first child.
Fairer paternity leave schemes, tax incentives for two income households and tougher legislation protecting working mothers against discrimination would help ensure women’s job prospects do not worsen upon motherhood.
[Ed: How about just paying women a fair wage for the job of having and raising children rather than pressuring them to return to the workforce in priority to focusing on parenting?]
Source: How having a baby makes it more likely Australian couples rely on the man’s income