The Nature and Dimensions of Precarious Employment in Australia

Abstract The quality of employment is often neglected in policy debates in Australia. Non-standard employment forms are dominating job generation in Australia. While the non-standard category is heterogeneous, it contains many jobs that exhibit characteristics of precariousness. Moreover, though precariousness is concentrated in non-standard employment, it is by no means confined to non-standard employment. Precariousness also affects parts of standard employment itself. This article is exploratory, aimed at taking up and applying the concept of precariousness to employment in Australia. It discusses the concept of precariousness, emphasising the importance of varied dimensions of labour insecurity. It then outlines the nature, spread and implications of precarious employment in Australia.