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

Julie Smith

Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), 2007, vol. 10, issue 2, 99-114

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.

Keywords: Household Production and Intra-household Allocation; Health; Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health; Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D13 I18 J13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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