Who is working and how much?
How many people of the 25.69 million odd population work? It may be a surprise to find that according to the 2021 Census only 44% had full and part time jobs. (7,095,103) were working full-time and 4 million people (3,962,550) were working part-time in the week before the Census. With 2.4 million in casual roles in August 2021 and an increase to 2.7mil casual workers by Aug 2022.
So overall, roughly 53.55%, for argument’s sake, call it 14 million, are employed to some capacity. Remember the children under 15 and pensioners/retirees when considering these numbers are not part of the workforce.
The most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics data for national median personal income was in 2021 and was estimated at $805 per week. For all persons aged 15 years and over. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/earnings-and-working-conditions/income-and-work-census/latest-release
The minimum wage is currently higher at $812.60 - https://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay-and-wages/minimum-wages). In July 1990 weekly min wages was $306.76 or $15,951 annually. https://espace.curtin.edu.au/bitstream/handle/20.500.11937/12270/148420_25362_CRAE%20WP%20201014%20Minimum%20wage%20adjustments%20in%20Australia%20since%201983.pdf;jsessionid=2E4E8E1CD8EFFA7D42267B5441504A93?sequence=2
To add further clarification to this, there were over 9.6 million people, 15 y.o. or over, earning below the national median personal income or earning no income. So roughly, given reporting timeline discrepancy, let’s say 50% of people over 15 years of age or above are at minimum wage or below. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/earnings-and-working-conditions/income-and-work-census/latest-release
You might be thinking, well, we were in C19 lockdowns, and less people were employed, so this is not consistent with the past, however, the previous census showed similar figures. In 2016, 6 in 10 Australians aged 15 years and over were employed (60%). Recent stats show 14 mil in 19.3 mil – around 72%. So, even more people were employed in the 2021 than in 2016. year. https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/2071.0~2016~Main%20Features~Employment%20Data%20Summary~67#:~:text=Six%20in%20ten%20Australians%20aged,Census%20of%20Population%20and%20Housing.
We have also dug up the data from 1990. In May 1990 there were 6,533,100 million people 15 and over. And 4,949,800 in the labour force. There was over 76% of the population working, roughly 4% more than today. https://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/free.nsf/0/2B7995CE683562F6CA2576B20012FC65/$File/62030_05_1990.pdf. At the same time at the 30th June 1990 there was 17,086,200 people in Australia. Still a very young population from the 1970’s which represents the first echo generation (i.e. the children of the baby boomers).
https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3101.0Jun%201990?OpenDocument