Analysis of gender segregation within detailed occupations and industries in Australia

This study provides new and detailed estimates of gender segregation in the Australian labour market. Using ABS Labour Force Survey and Census data, we explore and decompose long-term trends of segregation and integration by employing a shiftshare analysis and index measures across time, age and space. We find that over the last three decades, gender segregation has not significantly changed across either industries or occupations. Gender segregation across industries is, in general, more resistant to gender integration than across occupations and detailed classifications are profoundly more segregated than top-level classifications. Additionally, gender segregation increases as individuals get older and the farther they work from urbanised locations. We show that decades of gender equality policy have not had a major impact on minimising labour market segregation. Women continue to have more constrained labour supply choices than men, hindering labour market efficiency and flexibility.