One of the most attractive features of social exclusion is that it broadens the conventional framework that identifies poverty as a lack of resources relative to needs. This paper examines how the concept of social exclusion has evolved in the academic and policy debate in Australia in the last five years or so. It does...

This paper reviews recent developments in pensions policy in a range of countries and identifies some of the main forces driving the policy reform agenda. The paper brings a new perspective to some familiar issues, drawing specifically on the research and policy experience of Australia, China and the United States. Its basic message is that...

This paper is part of a broader project on household inequality and living standards being conducted by the Social Policy Research Centre in partnership with the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The main purpose of the paper is to discuss methodological issues in assessing geographical differences in the propensity of households to be relatively poor, and...

This paper examines the quality and inter-temporal comparability of ABS income distribution survey data by comparing aggregates derived from the surveys to external data such as population estimates, labour force data and the National Accounts. Issues discussed include mis-reporting of income, and differences in scope, weighting procedures, definitions and collection methodology. The analysis suggests that...

High and persistent unemployment has presented a major challenge for the welfare state from two directions. First, it has eroded the funding base and second, it has increased the demands on welfare programs because of the consequences for poverty and inequality resulting from high unemployment. This paper explores these latter effects using a range of...