Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10620/18284
Longitudinal Study: HILDA
Title: Wages, government payments and other income of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
Authors: Howlett, Monica 
Gray, Matthew 
Hunter, Boyd 
Publication Date: Jan-2016
Pages: 53-76
Keywords: wages
Personal
income
labour market segmentation
Indigenous employment
government payments
Abstract: This paper compares the level and source of income for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians using data from the 2011 wave of the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA). Three sources of income are considered: wages and salaries; government benefits; and income from businesses, investments and other private transfers. Consistent with many previous studies, Indigenous Australians have, on average, lower total income than non-Indigenous Australians, with this difference being largest for those who are full-time employed. The difference is also larger for males compared to females. In terms of non-wage income, Indigenous men and women receive a much smaller proportion of income from other sources than their non-Indigenous counterparts (primarily business and investment income). This is particularly the case for those who are not in the labour force (NILF). Correspondingly, government benefits constitute a higher proportion of income for the Indigenous population than for the non-Indigenous. This is true for both males and females, and for all labour force states, although the difference is largest for part-time employed and those who are NILF. Given Indigenous persons are also more likely to be unemployed than non-Indigenous persons, they are more likely to be dependent solely on government payments as a source of income at any one time. The implications of these findings are discussed, as well as directions for future research.
DOI: 10.3316/INFORMIT.535565937100039
URL: https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/INFORMIT.535565937100039
Keywords: Finance -- Income (Salary and Wages); Benefits and Payments; Culture -- Indigenous
Research collection: Journal Articles
Appears in Collections:Journal Articles

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