Intra-household entitlements and gender inequality: An Australian perspective

AuthorsJaslin Kalsi
PublishedNovember 2017
PublisherBankwest Curtin Economics Centre
ISBN978-1-925083-75-0
ISSN2202-2791
Number of Pages32
Number17/05

This paper analyses factors which affect the intra-household distribution of entitlements between men and women in Australian couple households. Several studies have been undertaken into the effects of intra-household bargaining on labour, domestic violence, fertility decisions, and wealth. However, Australian studies of the intra-household distribution of economic resources are rare. Following the methodology in De Hanau and Himmelweit’s (2013) British study as published in the Journal of Marriage and Family this paper generates new data and analysis which accounts for the distribution of entitlements between Australian men and women in couple households. The study exploits quantitative data from the survey of Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA), whereby, between 2001 to 2014, individuals in 7902 couple households responded to questions on their satisfaction with their financial situation (SWFS). Changes in SWFS indicate changes in perceived benefits from pooled household finances and thus provide insights into the intra-household distribution of entitlements.