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Time Use Among new mothers, the Economic Value of Unpaid Care work and gender aspects of superannuation tax concessions

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  • Julie Smith

    (Australian National University)

Abstract

Population aging requires policies addressing ‘population, participation and productivity’. By failing to acknowledge women’s productive work in the unpaid care economy, current retirement income policies may reduce incentives to invest in children, the future labour force, and thereby heighten the economic task of addressing the aging problem. A nationwide time use survey of new mothers conducted during 2005-06 highlights the time intensity of caring for infants, and its negative impact on women’s current and future labour market earnings. Meanwhile, growing scientific evidence points to potential trade offs between infant health and development and full time maternal employment in the early months of life. Time is an economic resource that may be allocated to non-market, as well as market, production. Women make substantial investments in human capital through unpaid work bearing and raising children. Current retirement income policies disadvantage and discriminate against this economic contribution in the non-market economy. This works against the national economic reform agenda which seeks to raise future labour productivity through quality early care of children and a healthier labour force.

Suggested Citation

  • Julie Smith, 2007. "Time Use Among new mothers, the Economic Value of Unpaid Care work and gender aspects of superannuation tax concessions," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 10(2), pages 99-114.
    • Handle: RePEc:ozl:journl:v:10:y:2007:i:2:p:99-114
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Christopher J. Ruhm, 2004. "Parental Employment and Child Cognitive Development," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 39(1).
    2. Pablo Antolín & Alain de Serres & Christine de la Maisonneuve, 2004. "Long-Term Budgetary Implications of Tax-Favoured Retirement Plans," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 393, OECD Publishing.
    3. Lawrence M. Berger & Jennifer Hill & Jane Waldfogel, 2005. "Maternity leave, early maternal employment and child health and development in the US," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 115(501), pages 29-47, February.
    4. Sakiko Tanaka, 2005. "Parental leave and child health across OECD countries," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 115(501), pages 7-28, February.
    5. Trevor Breusch & Edith Gray, 2004. "New Estimates of Mothers’ Forgone Earnings Using HILDA Data," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 7(2), pages 125-150, June.
    6. Therese Jefferson & Alison Preston, 2005. "Australia'S "Other" Gender Wage Gap: Baby Boomers And Compulsory Superannuation Accounts," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(2), pages 79-101.
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    Cited by:

    1. Julie P. Smith & Sara Javanparast & Ellen McIntyre & Lyn Craig & Kate Mortensen & Colleen Koh, 2013. "Discrimination against breastfeeding mothers in childcare," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 16(1), pages 65-90.
    2. Paul W. Miller & Anh T. Le, 2012. "The Impact of Age of Children on Decision Making Over Time Use in Couple Families," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 15(2), pages 77-100.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Household Production and Intra-household Allocation; Health; Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health; Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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