Australia has been thought to be a less equal society than many European ones. But Australian incomes turn out to be as evenly distributed as those in France when everything is taken into account.
Working from home has become the new norm for many during the pandemic. But it’s an opportunity that divides along racial and economic lines – and isn’t as beneficial to the environment as many believe.
Robert Breunig, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
The graph says Americans on the highest incomes now face lower tax rates than Americans on low incomes. It’s a consequence of an unusual definition of income.
At times we are told Labor’s capital gains tax policy will hit mainly high earners. At other times, low earners. The truth, uncovered by our microsimulation model, tells us something about ourselves.
Peter Whiteford, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Its extremely common, everywhere, for large numbers of people to pay no net tax. It tells us nothing about the size of the welfare state or about whether it bribes people to keep tax high.
Peter Whiteford, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ latest analysis of the impact of government benefits and taxes on household income shows this reduces income inequality by more than 40% in Australia.
Not only has income inequality in Australia grown over the past two decades, rich and poor are also more segregated in terms of where they live in the big cities.
Evidence on the ability, or lack thereof, of children to rise above the economic status of their parents shines light on the continued persistence of inequality, including in South Africa.