The Unemployment Crisis in Australia: Which Way Out?

Since the 1970s the average level of unemployment in Australia has risen each decade. This has imposed huge economic, social and human costs, making unemployment one of the most pressing problems confronting Australia. Governments, however, seem powerless in the face of this problem. Drawing on the expertise of some of Australia’s leading economists, this book argues that the currently fashionable approaches of wage cuts and further steps towards labour market flexibility will not solve the unemployment problem. In reality, unemployment and rising inequality are symptoms of the growing failure of contemporary labour markets to distribute jobs and incomes effectively. The contributors argue that the main solution to this problem is not wage cuts but jobs growth. This important book points to a way beyond the current policy malaise and offers detailed solutions to unemployment.