Yr 11: Inequality & Unemployment Flashcards

1
Q

The biggest 2 sources of income in Australia are…

A

1) Wages
2) Welfare

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2
Q

The biggest 3 types of welfare in Australia (in order) are…

A

1) Aged pension
2) Disability assistance
3) Family payments

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3
Q

How do you calculate the unemployment rate?

A

(Unemployed / Labour force) x 100

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4
Q

How do you calculate the labour force?

A

Unemployed + Employed

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5
Q

How do you calculate the labour force participation rate?

A

(Labour force / Working age population) x 100

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6
Q

A country of 600 people has 500 people aged 15 years and over, 300 people employed and 50 people unemployed. What is the labour force participation rate?

A

70%

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7
Q

A country of 600 people has 500 people aged 15 years and over, 300 people employed and 50 people unemployed. What is the unemployment rate?

A

14%

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8
Q

A country of 600 people has 450 people aged 15 years and over, 300 people employed and 30 people unemployed. What is the labour force participation rate?

A

73%

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9
Q

A country of 600 people has 450 people aged 15 years and over, 300 people employed and 30 people unemployed. What is the unemployment rate?

A

9%

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10
Q

Why is unemployment low in a boom?

A

The demand for labour is derived from the demand for goods and services, so if aggregate demand increases, the demand for labour will increase too

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11
Q

What is cyclical unemployment?

A

Unemployment due to low demand for labour in a downturn in the business cycle

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12
Q

What is structural unemployment?

A

Unemployment due to a mismatch between the skills people have and the jobs available

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13
Q

What is frictional unemployment?

A

Unemployment as people move between jobs

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14
Q

What is underemployment?

A

Someone who is employed but would like to work more hours

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15
Q

What is hidden unemployment?

A

Someone who is not looking for work (so not counted in the labour force or unemployment rate), but would take work if it was available to them

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16
Q

The 11 National Employment Standards are set by…

A

The Fair Work Commission

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17
Q

Which of these ARE National Employment Standards: The minimum wage, minimum weekly hours, maximum weekly hours, the ability to request flexible working hours, the award conditions

A
  • Maximum weekly hours

- The ability to request flexible working hours

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18
Q

Which of these ARE National Employment Standards: paid parental leave, notice of termination, paid annual leave, the right to non-discrimination, casual to permanent conversion after 12 months, provision of a uniform, redundancy pay

A
  • Notice of termination
  • Paid annual leave
  • Casual to permanent conversion after 12 months
  • Redundancy pay
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19
Q

What is an award?

A

The minimum working conditions for all workers in an industry

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20
Q

What is an enterprise agreement?

A

An employment contract negotiated between a firm and a GROUP of employees

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21
Q

How is an award created?

A

The Fair Work Commission creates it, and ensure it is at least as good as the 11 NES and the minimum wage

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22
Q

How is an enterprise agreement created?

A

It is negotiated between a firm and a group of employees, and must be sent to the FWC to check that it is better overall compared to the award (pass the BOOT)

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23
Q

In what circumstances can you negotiate an individual contract?

A
  • A high-income earner ($162,000); OR
  • There is no relevant award; OR
  • You are receiving all award conditions and then extra benefits
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24
Q

What is labour market decentralisation?

A

Reducing the government’s influence on employment contracts and allowing them to be negotiated between firms and employees

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25
Q

What are 2 advantages of labour market decentralisation?

A
  • Incentivises labour productivity

- Provides flexibility for firms to be more efficient

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26
Q

What is the main disadvantage of labour market decentralisation?

A

It increases inequality as low-skilled workers have very little bargaining power

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27
Q

What is a disadvantage of a minimum wage?

A

It makes firms less willing to hire people

28
Q

What was the unemployment rate in 2019 prior to the pandemic?

A

5%

29
Q

What was the unemployment rate in 2020 during the pandemic, and how did that compare to what economists expected?

A

7.4%, which was less than the 10% estimated by the RBA

30
Q

What is the unemployment rate in 2023?

A

3.5% - the lowest it has been in 50 years

31
Q

Why did unemployment rise in the pandemic?

A

1) Lockdowns caused consumption to fall by 20%
2) Exports of education and tourism collapsed

32
Q

Why didn’t unemployment increase as much as expected in the pandemic?

A

1) Expansionary macroeconomic policy
2) JobKeeper – people who received it were counted as ‘employed’
3) Hidden unemployment increased

33
Q

Why has unemployment fallen so much recently?

A

1) High consumption following the end of lockdowns
2) Continued macroeconomic stimulus
3) Border closures causing a skills shortage in some industries

34
Q

Inequality is measured using the…

A

Gini coefficient

35
Q

A Gini coefficient of 1 means…

A

1 person earns all income in the economy

36
Q

A Gini coefficient of 0 means…

A

All people in the economy earn the same income

37
Q

What has been the trend in Australia’s Gini coefficient over the past 20 years?

A

It has remained steady around 0.31

38
Q

The richest __% of Australians earn __ times as much as the poorest __%

A

The richest 20% of Australians earn 6 times as much as the poorest 20%

39
Q

The richest __% of Australians own __ times as much as the poorest __%

A

The richest 20% of Australians own 64 times as much as the poorest 20%

40
Q

What are 5 benefits of inequality?

A

1) Encourages education / skills
2) Encourages labour productivity and mobility
3) Encourages entrepreneurship
4) Creates savings for investment
5) A sense of fairness - people who are talented and work hard will be rewarded

41
Q

What are 5 costs of inequality?

A

1) Reduces overall utility
2) Reduces growth
3) Increases welfare costs
4) Creates a poverty trap
5) Increases crime

42
Q

What are 3 ways the government reduces income inequality?

A

1) Progressive income tax
2) Welfare payments
3) The industrial framework, such as the minimum wage, NES and awards

43
Q

What is a progressive tax system?

A

As income rises, the PROPORTION of your income you pay as tax rises

44
Q

What is a proportional tax system?

A

Everyone pays the same PROPORTION of their income as tax

45
Q

What is a regressive tax system?

A

As income rises, the PROPORTION of your income you pay as tax falls

46
Q

Is income tax progressive, proportional or regressive?

A

Progressive

47
Q

Is GST progressive, proportional or regressive?

A

Regressive

48
Q

Why is GST regressive?

A

As income rises, the proportion of income that is consumed falls. Therefore, the proportion of income that incurs the GST (a tax on consumption) also falls

49
Q

Person A earns $50,000 and is taxed $5,000. Person B earns $100,000 and is taxed $10,000. Is this a progressive, proportional or regressive?

A

Proportional

50
Q

Person A earns $50,000 and is taxed $5,000. Person B earns $100,000 and is taxed $8,000. Is this a progressive, proportional or regressive?

A

Regressive

51
Q

Person A earns $50,000 and is taxed $5,000. Person B earns $100,000 and is taxed $12,000. Is this a progressive, proportional or regressive?

A

Progressive

52
Q

Person A earns $50,000 and is taxed $5,000. Person B earns $70,000 and is taxed $8,000. Is this a progressive, proportional or regressive?

A

Progressive

53
Q

Person A earns $50,000 and is taxed $5,000. Person B earns $70,000 and is taxed $6,000. Is this a progressive, proportional or regressive?

A

Regressive

54
Q

The government raises the top marginal tax rate. The Gini coefficient would…

A

Fall

55
Q

The government lowers the top marginal tax rate. The Gini coefficient would…

A

Rise

56
Q

The government raises the tax-free threshold. The Gini coefficient would…

A

Fall

57
Q

The government lower the tax-free threshold. The Gini coefficient would…

A

Rise

58
Q

How is the Australian Government planning to change the tax system?

A

In 2024, the Government will abolish the 2nd highest tax bracket - reducing the tax rate charged for anyone who earns above $120,000 per year

59
Q

How big is the gender pay gap in Australia?

A

According to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, women earn around 23% less than men per hour on average.

60
Q

In Australia, why do women earn less on average than men?

A

1) Unconscious bias
2) Choice of industries
3) Opportunity cost of experience when taking parental leave

61
Q

What is unconscious bias and how does it cause the gender pay gap?

A

When hiring and promoting employees, managers often unconsciously compare candidates to those who have done the role in the past.

As most senior positions used to be done exclusively by men, women are now less likely to be hired or promoted to these senior positions because they do not fit these expectations.

62
Q

On average, people under 20 earn $_____ per week, whereas people aged 45-54 earn $_____ per week

A

On average, people under 20 earn $390 per week, whereas people aged 45-54 earn $1,550 per week

63
Q

___% of non-English speaking migrants are in the poorest 20% in Australia, and ___% are in the richest 20% in Australia

A

24% of non-English speaking migrants are in the poorest 20% in Australia, and 14% are in the richest 20% in Australia

64
Q

___% of English speaking migrants are in the poorest 20% in Australia, and ___% are in the richest 20% in Australia

A

17% of English speaking migrants are in the poorest 20% in Australia, and 24% are in the richest 20% in Australia

65
Q

On average, medical professionals earn ____% of the full-time Australian median wage

A

On average, medical professionals earn 400% of the full-time Australian median wage