Economic change: implications for jobs, income and joblessness

Australia has experienced fast economic growth and has increased its rate of productivity growth in recent years. This apparently successful aggregate outcome has occurred along with increasing internal deregulation, privatisation and exposure to international forces. Considerable changes in patterns of employment, joblessness and income distribution have accompanied these changes. This paper considers some major aspects and their links to training: changing industry and occupational distribution; increased part-time and casual employment; reductions on periods of employment; increasing hours of full-time work; multiple job holding; reduced public sector employment; reduction in length of full-time working life; reduced union membership; sustained levels of unemployment and long term unemployment; high levels of hidden unemployment and other joblessness; increased regional variation in joblessness; widening income distribution and increases in the proportion in poverty. Show less