Four steps to a fairer Australia

Excessive inequality isn’t just unfair, it’s socially and politically corrosive. Around the world, inequality has fuelled social instability, political divisiveness, reduced class mobility, falling life expectancy and racial scapegoating. To deliver a fairer future for Australians, it’s time we set transparent targets for inequality – then commit to policies needed to meet them.

Inequality breeds discontent

A meta-study of public opinion polls reveals that Australians who resent gross inequalities in income levels also have less faith in that nation’s democratic institutions.

Spirit levels

Understanding the social consequences of rising inequality in Australia demands a broader understanding of how people live.

Charting inequality

New research from the Productivity Commission has unpacked changes to income and wealth levels during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Julia Gillard on pandemic health lessons

Julia Gillard argues that Australia can use the lessons learnt over the past two years to emerge as a healthier and fairer society.

Charting Australia’s inequality

A new report on Australian inequality charts the differences in wealth and opportunity which the COVID pandemic has only intensified.

Inequality was rising before COVID-19

The UNSW Social Policy Research Centre and the Australian Council of Social Services have released a new analysis of inequality in Australia pre-COVID-19, providing a baseline to measure the impact of the pandemic on income and wealth inequality.

Life expectancy stalls as inequality widens

Growing socioeconomic and geographical inequalities are contributing to a stagnation of Australian life expectancy, new research published in Australian Population Studies shows.

A chance to even the odds

A child’s destiny is heavily influenced by the lottery of socio-economic status and where they happen to grow up, but access to quality early learning can help even the odds for all Australian children.

Australia has the wealth to ensure a sustainable future, but too many people are being left behind

The purpose of our social, economic and political systems is to enable all Australians to lead good lives. Australia is doing well on some fronts, but worrying pockets of inequality remain.

Taking a clear look at inequality

Politicians are right when they say that the best anti-poverty measure is a job, but they don’t always provide a policy environment to help that to happen for everyone. The inflexibility and cost of the childcare system, for example, creates substantial barriers to employment of single parents.

New UNSW-ACOSS study highlights inequality in our society – and how to fix it

Beyond the personal effects on individuals, vast disparities in income can erode social cohesion and undermine economic growth, researchers say.