The Importance Of Wages In Australia

Superior Essays
It is in Australia, like every other economy in the world, that wages are not uniform for every industry, occupation or job. It is due to a variety of factors that wage outcomes differ across the nation, with the price of each labour input being valued differently according to interaction of the supply and demand curves in the market. Wages are the monetary reward each individual receives in return for their efforts in the production process. Historically, the industrial relations framework Australia adopted had a strong emphasis on wages all being equal for equal effort. However, realistically, wages, especially within the contemporary economic setting, differ not only between occupations but also within occupations.
It is between occupations
…show more content…
If an occupation has high mobility, employers would not have to raise wage rates as high as supply for the occupation is in excess. If there is a restriction in occupation mobility within an industry, wage rates are higher as there is a shortage in the supply of labour. For example the qualifications of a neurosurgeon include a bachelor of medical surgery and further post graduate masters (in total 12 years’ worth of studying), therefore being a very long and tedious processes in which would reduce occupational mobility. As a result Neurosurgeons are compensated with a very high weekly income of $5577 as this difficult process would defer any individual from perusing this line of work, reducing supply of labour in this industry. Whereas qualifications to become a nurse is only a 3-4 year degree in the bachelor of nursing in which dramatically increases the occupational mobility of his industry as the relatively low levels needed to qualify as a nurse would mean higher supply of nurses in the labour market. As a result, their average weekly income is $1499, just under a quarter of a neurosurgeon’s salary, demonstrating how occupational mobility impacts wage …show more content…
Germany’s Gini coefficient is 0.27 and its HDI is 0.911, whereas Haiti has a Gini coefficient of 0.59 and its HDI is 0.47. Therefore an economy with more equitable distribution of income would have a higher living standard.
Equitable distribution of income could lead to no discrimination within that economy and hence there would be no social hierarchy status as everyone is the same. Individuals in the economy would demand similar or the same goods and services as everyone have same income. Therefore the specialisation in those particular goods would mean increased efficiency in the economy whereby there is no longer a need to produce an excessive range of goods and services which could potentially waste scarce resources. Social welfare benefits would decrease as the earning bracket of low income earners is eliminated. For example countries with discrepancies in their distribution of income thence the budget is proportionally strained as more people require financial aid. If everyone is on uniform wages, this could eliminate the need to provide welfare

Related Documents

  • Great Essays

    Thirdly, for races, though black and other races males tend to earn less, black women earn slightly higher than white women after controlling for other variables. Fourthly, males from single parent families and females from other family structures earn significantly lower than those from two parents families. Finally, the pattern of occupations on wages indicate that compare to service occupations, almost all other occupations earn higher wages, except for sales and related/ office and administrative supports/ farming, fishing, and…

    • 827 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Andrew Williams, in his paper, Incentives, Inequality and Publicity, takes to task Cohen’s analysis of Rawls’ remarks concerning what the basic structure of society consists in. Drawing on a close examination of Rawls’ comments on the subject, Williams’ posits a characterisation that pushes to the fore the idea of publicity. The upshot of William’s analysis is that Cohen’s attempt to broaden the definition of the basic structure to capture individual choices, and in so doing identify society possessing an egalitarian ethos as a demand of justice, fails because it is not consistent with Rawls’ publicity requirements. The difference principle, Williams maintains, “is inherently restricted” and “applies only to a society's fundamental social,…

    • 1179 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    I agree with Arnade, that intellect does lead to better pay unlike manual labor. In more simple terms, he is saying that the higher the degree the more different the culture become, which leads to segregation based on income. In the article “How Higher Education Affects Lifetime Salary,” Brian Burnsed states that, “…those with master's, doctoral, and professional degrees earn $2.67 million, $3.25 million, and $3.65 million, respectively.” Obviously, a heart surgeon is paid more than a janitor at some local high school due to the amount of understanding that is needed to save a life but this difference of occupation is also a difference in lifestyles. Careers that need high intellect not only pay more but also reflect your elitism status as well as your…

    • 1392 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Australian Labour Market

    • 1112 Words
    • 5 Pages

    z“Describe and account for recent trends in the Australian labour market!” INTRODUCTION The labour market (the market in which employers and employees interact to sell labour for wages) is a crucial part of an economy. For employees, it is crucial that the labour market provides them with their main source of income, and for the firms, their costs (and thus their profits) are also based on the labour market setting wages.…

    • 1112 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This pay discrepancy is discriminating and stigmatising Australian youth aged 18 and 19. Legally in Australia at the age of 18 you are considered an adult, but are unable to be paid the full adult wage. Junior pay rates do not take into account young people’s experience, meaning they will be earning less than someone merely 2 years older…

    • 459 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Unemployment Definition Unemployment refers to the situation whereby individuals want to work however are unable to secure employment, therefore resulting in the underutilization of an economy’s labour supplies. Measurement Unemployment is measured monthly and is calculated by:…

    • 1355 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Should the American government redistribute wealth? This is one of the many issues we are facing as a country today. “There are two sides to every story", as people quote often and that's the way it is in politics also. There are advantages and disadvantages to redistributing the wealth in the United States. It's important to look at both sides and then make our decision.…

    • 1486 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Rise Of Minimum Wage

    • 717 Words
    • 3 Pages

    A federal minimum wage was set for the first time in 1939 and equaled to twenty five cents per hour with the maximum workweek at 44 hours. It varied with time but currently the last change had even made in July 2009. Therefore the controversial question on rising federal minimum wage or not become a hot topic in a past few years. From the first sight it seems to be a good decision to rise the minimum wage in order to improve living standards, create more opportunities for jobs, and to promote interest in getting a job. On the other hand the rise of minimum wage may cause increasing in prices, layoffs and fewer haring, and reduction in the desire of career achievements.…

    • 717 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Australian women have fought for the right to equal pay since the early 1900’s. In 1948, the value of equal pay for equal work was acknowledged in the Universal Declaration of Human rights1. The gender pay gap is the difference between the average of men and women’s’ earnings, displayed as a percentage of male earnings1. The pay gap between genders is currently at 17.5%2. This is despite the small fluxes over time, this has not changed in 20 years, the gender pay gap was small in 1994 at the rate of 15.9%.…

    • 1002 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Australia has a very strong economy that has seen many highs and lows in the past few decades. The main characteristics for Australia is free market but it still categories as mixed economy system which that is a successful phenomenon, Western market economy where the GDP is high and the rate of poverty is low. Australia is phenomenal and this country is among the first five developed countries of the world. There are four main component of the Australian economic system which had finance, manufacturing, services and trade. (Australia on Net)…

    • 350 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I intend to use this reference to establish that in more recent years our society has taken steps to fixes issues related to the gender wage gap that has plagued our culture. I will use the data provided to explain how it is being mitigated, if not completely solved for in some areas. Stewart, P. A., & Moore, J. C. (1992). Wage Disparities and Performance Expectations.…

    • 1022 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Essay On Minimum Wages

    • 1520 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Introduction All human beings have inherent needs that they ought to fulfill so as to lead comfortable lives. Some of the obvious needs include the basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing. Although these needs are regarded as basic, human beings desire other secondary needs so as to enjoy a meaningful life such as adequate health care, education, as well as some luxuries. It is from the desire to fulfill such needs that humans search for jobs so as to earn wages to cater for their needs. On the other side, employers strive to reduce costs as much as they can, and this typically leads to the payment of very low wages.…

    • 1520 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Poverty and Food Insecurity Before Research I honestly know nothing about people on food stamps or disability except that some people need it and others just use it. I do not really think about the people themselves either. As far as I am concerned, they are just people with different problems compared to me. There really is not a certain way they should act either.…

    • 1972 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Venus Project is a project that is trying to make there be a fair world with no wars or homeless people and no more money. Although some people believe that money is an essential part of life, it may be argued that we don’t need money at all. Initially, there would be no more robberies if there was no money. Furthermore, people could only get what they need. Likewise, making money waste materials that we could utilize for important uses.…

    • 732 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In a world as evolved and enormous as today’s, a striking question is whether we as humans can ever go back to a simple lifestyle. The simple answer is no; no matter how desirable and nostalgic a world without all the gadgets is. Ever since the industrial revolution, the world has run almost solely on industrial capitalism. The idea of a perfect socialist society with complete fairness and equality in its entirety is only found on TV shows like HBO’s Walking Dead. The world would need a substantial calamity and vast chaos causing a group of survivors to be forced to create their own society; in which fairness and equality might have a chance at success.…

    • 1589 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays