If we are to achieve a fairer gender balance in relation to unpaid care and other types of unpaid services typically provided by women, then we need quality data which can accurately report on the time spent on such activities and how this is improving or not. This is after all one of the top priorities in the Federal Government’s 10 year Gender Equality Strategy.
WEL is therefore disturbed to learn that the ABS plans to administer a cheaper slimmed down digital version of its current Time Use Survey, which is likely to capture less of the extent and quality of time spent on the interrelated spectrum of care activities which women typically perform. Changes in the nature and gender distribution of this care work are likely to be more difficult to chart.
Two notable ANU academics have outlined how the proposed changes represent a ‘scaling down’ which will reduce the Survey’s accuracy, making women’s unpaid work yet again ‘invisible’ to policy makers.
The ABS has rejected these concerns.
WEL notes that governments and the ABS have attempted in the past to drop the Survey for budgetary reasons (as the Gillard Government did in 2013, followed by the Abbot Government). Under pressure from women’s advocacy groups - including WEL and feminist researchers - the Turnbull Government revived the survey in 2018.
WEL plans to join with allies to press government ministers such as Katy Gallagher to advise the ABS to reconsider their plans – billed as ‘modernising’ the Survey. We will call on members to support this campaign.
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