Class and Gender

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Discuss two different forms of inequality in contemporary Australia, such as class, gender, or ethnicity. Inequality in Australian society can be measured in a number of ways; this paper will look at inequality due to class and the gender of a person, focusing primarily on economic factors. The existence of class in Australia is often denied, especially in the press, as we believe in mateship, a fair go for all Australians and the idea that all are equal – a belief that we live in an egalitarian society. This sentiment is summed up well by Mcgregor (1997) as cited by Jordan & Stilwell (2007,p12) ”I suppose that’s how most Australians feel about class: class equals snobbery, and it’s stupid. Especially if you’re on the blunt end of it. I’ve always liked the way Australians tend to think of class distinction as a sort of Pommy hangover which someone else is guilty of. Class? In Australia? Isn’t this place classless?” Australia, as with many nations, is a capitalist society with a stratified class structure, inextricably linked to income and wealth. Wealth is usually calculated by considering ones income, investments and property holdings. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the lowest quintile of the Australian population earned only 4.3% of the country’s income, earning $360 per week, while the highest quintile earned 46.7%, with $3,492 per week. See table 1.1 1.1 Household Income and Income Distribution, Australia ESTIMATES 2009/10 Mean income per week (b) Lowest quintile $ 360 Second quintile $ 780 Third quintile $ 1,323 Fourth quintile $ 2,032 Highest quintile $ 3,942 Income per week at top of selected percentiles (b) 10th (P10) $ 363 20th (P20) $ 566 30th (P30) $ 774 40th (P40) $ 1,031 50th (P50) $ 1,320 60th (P60) $ 1,640 70th (P70) $ 2,008 80th (P80) $ 2,498 90th (P90)

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