澳洲貧富懸殊差距愈演愈烈 最有錢的人更加有錢

來自專欄澳洲熱點報道

澳洲可能被某些人認為是幸運的國家但一份新的報告顯示了澳洲貧富懸殊的差距。

澳洲社會服務理事會和新南威爾士大學的報告指出澳洲薪水最高的1%的人兩周裡面賺到的錢是薪水最低的5%的人一年賺的錢。

這意味著最高工資的人一周收入是$11682，而收入最低的人一周只有$436。

雖然收入差距很大，這份2018年澳洲不平等報告說收入不平等在2000-2008年後已經進入穩定狀態，全球經濟危機時這個差距達到最高峰。該報告重新分 析了澳洲統計局的數據。

家庭之間的資產差距情況就不一樣了，這個差距最終在2003年-2015年之間變大。

那個時期里 最有錢的20%家庭資產增加了53%，而最不富裕家庭的20%的資產下降了9%

最有錢的家庭平均資產為290萬，而最不富裕的平均是3萬元。

ACOSS首席執行官Cassandra Goldie博士說近幾十年前澳洲貧富懸殊在經濟蓬勃發展時最嚴重而在經濟放緩時平穩。

但她說澳洲人不應該接受不平等的增加是經濟增長不可避免的產物，因為社會保障福利增加和有錢人更少的稅收漏洞可以減少差距。

Goldie博士在一份聲明中說：「但很不幸，最近的收入稅減少的立法和缺乏增加最低社會保障福利的舉措，包括失業救濟金，這兩個情況把我們帶到了錯誤的方向。」

這份周二發布的報告也發現資產從老一輩家庭轉移到年輕的一代。

在2003年至2015年期間有一名64歲以上的人的家庭財富上升了57%，而有35歲以下的人的家庭財富增加了22%。

澳洲有三千人的財富超過了5000萬美元（6500萬澳元），這個數字在世界上排第五位。

Original version from SBS news：

Australia may be known to some as the lucky country, but a new report has shone light on just how unequally prosperity is distributed in the nation.

The top one per cent of Australian earners take home as much in a fortnight as the lowest five per cent of earners do in a year, according to the report from the Australian Council of Social Service and the University of NSW.

That means the very top earners are raking in about $11,682 a week, while the lowest are getting $436.

Despite this disparity in incomes, the Inequality in Australia 2018 report - which contains fresh analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics data - says income inequality has plateaued since rising between 2000 and 2008, when it peaked in the global financial crisis.

The same cannot be said for the gap between the wealth of households, which ultimately grew between 2003 and 2015.

In that time, the average wealth of the richest 20 per cent of households rose by 53 per cent, while that of the least wealthy 20 per cent of households fell by nine per cent.

The richest households now boast an average wealth of $2.9 million, while the least wealthy have on average $30,000.

ACOSS chief executive Dr Cassandra Goldie says in recent decades inequality in Australia has worsened during economic booms and flattened when the economy has been slower.

But she says Australians should not accept increased inequality as an inevitable by-product of growth, as increased social security payments and fewer tax loopholes for the rich could help bridge the gap.

"Unfortunately, the recently legislated income tax cuts, and a lack of action to lift the lowest social security payments including Newstart Allowance, both take us in the wrong direction," Dr Goldie said in a statement.

"Once income growth is restored, we can expect inequality to rise further unless governments, business, unions and communities actively work together to prevent this."

The report, released on Tuesday, also found a shift in wealth from older households to younger ones.

The wealth of households with a reference person aged older than 64 years increased by 57 per cent between 2003 and 2015, compared to a 22 per cent rise for those with someone aged under 35.

Australia also has the fifth highest number of people in the world with wealth exceeding $US50 million ($A65 million) at 3000.