Intergenerational Disadvantage: An Introduction to the Key Issues

As in many other countries, economic and social commentators in Australia have long been concerned about high and rising levels of economic and social inequality. That said, inequality per se is not necessarily regarded as a bad thing. What often concerns people more is inequality in opportunity. In Australia this is embodied in the notion of a right to a ‘fair go’, something that many (if not most) political leaders have espoused a commitment to at some point. The origins of the ‘fair go’ in Australia, however, are rooted in the trade union movement and our industrial relations system. It is this notion that underpins things like minimum award wages and protections against unfair dismissals. The basic argument is that anyone who is prepared to work hard should be rewarded. At the same time, this notion is then often extended to argue that those who are not prepared to work hard should receive minimal protection from the state.