Report by Peter Davidson et al. Australian Council of Social Service and University of New South Wales.
September 1, 2020.
New analysis of inequality in Australia pre-COVID-19 provides a baseline against which to measure the impacts of the pandemic on income and wealth inequality. It highlights the ameliorating effects of timely Government policy responses – including increased Jobseeker and Jobkeeper payments – but warns that the long-term effect of the pandemic on income and wealth inequality will depend on how these policies evolve.
The report also examines available data on the impacts of COVID 19 on employment and incomes to explore the likely impacts of the pandemic and associated lockdowns on inequality in Australia. It confirms that the pandemic has had a stark impact on those in lower paid jobs, with the average wage of people in the most affected industries half that of people in least affected industries even before the pandemic. The majority of those affected by deep income losses are women and young people.
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