# How much do you think this gig crap has shaved off unemployment numbers?



## Krusty (Jan 26, 2018)

Its definately a work for the dole scheme for the most part, I would say its shaved .5% of the unemployed statistic.
A godsend for those in government that are always looking for creative ways to fudge statistics.


----------



## Hugh G (Sep 22, 2016)

There is now a larger percent of the "working poor" in Australia's population.

It does not surprise me, I worked in and out of Australia since the 80's. One of the first things I noticed when I left was that Australia did not appear to have a "minority group" doing the menial tasks that were considered too low for the locals.

Overseas I remember seeing people in their fifties and sixties who had worked all their lives scraping week-to-week just to survive. Australia was a lucky country "down under" where as my overseas friend once said "In Australia every now and then someone goes and finds some natural resource worth many billions to the economy and a billion to their personal wealth. Very few other countries have this opportunity"

With the influx of immigrants, many of whom can make more here in a month than what they made in a year in the motherland, there have appeared cracks in the homogenous working conditions we enjoyed. I grew up in the 50's surrounded by many friends whose parents had fled the debacles of WW2 in Europe. At school these friends outnumbered the local offsprings of the British founders. They were working in the market-gardens, local shops and the fish-and-chip store after school while we were going down the creek to catch frogs.

In many ways Australia was dragged kicking and screaming into a world economy, the advent of computerisation, mechanisation and Artificial Intelligence will see huge changes in coming years.

How many here would tell their children "get a job in rideshare, it's really flexible" ?

There is no doubt that if I hadn't started rideshare I would have gone to Centrelink.

*Adam Bandt says that one in four people in poverty work full time*
see: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-30/fact-check-poverty-working-poor-adam-bandt/11147608


----------



## Waingro (Aug 29, 2016)

Don't get me started but I will give you my 2c worth. 

The Gig economy has been an unbelievable contribution to the economy in more ways than one. The major benefit is the ability to switch it on and off at the drop of a minute. I still believe a lot of people have not got their head around this.


----------



## WestSydGuy (Jun 7, 2018)

Krusty said:


> Its definately a work for the dole scheme for the most part, I would say its shaved .5% of the unemployed statistic.
> A godsend for those in government that are always looking for creative ways to fudge statistics.


Most Uber drivers may not qualify for Centrelink, so they may not be counted as unemployed, foreign students, spouses of temporary residents, spouses of students, retired citizens, students in full time education, won't be counted as unemployed either way.

A better count would be underemployment, anyone who is not working at least 36 hours a week, that want to work at least 36 hours.

I met a MetroConnect bus drivers today in the hills, works 5 hours by 5 days, 25 hours a week, I doubt he's happy with that amount of income, but he's not counted as unemployed. A reformed Uber driver in fact, was tired of driving around for $18 per hour after expenses.


----------



## Jack Malarkey (Jan 11, 2016)

WestSydGuy said:


> Most Uber drivers may not qualify for Centrelink, so they may not be counted as unemployed, foreign students, spouses of temporary residents, spouses of students, retired citizens, students in full time education, won't be counted as unemployed either way.
> 
> A better count would be underemployment, anyone who is not working at least 36 hours a week, that want to work at least 36 hours.
> 
> I met a MetroConnect bus drivers today in the hills, works 5 hours by 5 days, 25 hours a week, I doubt he's happy with that amount of income, but he's not counted as unemployed. A reformed Uber driver in fact, was tired of driving around for $18 per hour after expenses.


Yes, you are not counted as unemployed if you have had one hour or longer in work that week.

(https://www.rba.gov.au/education/resources/explainers/unemployment-its-measurement-and-types.html)


----------



## Ivan B (Feb 13, 2018)

Since the unemployment figures are calculated in the same way as opinion polls, recent election results would suggest they could be somewhat inaccurate.


----------



## Nawdy (Jul 26, 2016)

The Gig economy is only contributing to under employment and devaluing the hourly rate ... literally Australia is heading toward recession due to wage reductions ... it is simple people will run out of savings and then can only spend what they earn. And we all know wages are not keeping up with expenses so eventually we will all run out of our savings and be forced to not spend as much ... Unfortunately Recession is on its way and it is just a matter of when every ones savings run out.


----------



## Hugh G (Sep 22, 2016)

*Revealing True Size Of Australia's Gig Workforce*

Treasurer
https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/revealing-the-true-size-of-australias-gig-workforce/

The Andrews Labor Government is helping shine more light on Australia's gig economy, with new research showing that 7 per cent of working Australians have used a digital platform over the past twelve months to access work.

A survey jointly conducted by Queensland University of Technology, the University of Adelaide and University of Technology Sydney is Australia's largest ever published survey regarding the on-demand economy.

Released today, the survey of more than 14,000 people was commissioned by the Labor Government to support the Victorian Inquiry into the On-Demand Workforce.

While there has been much debate about the gig economy and how it is regulated, until now little has been known about its size or the characteristics of the workforce.

The findings provide insight into the size of the gig economy and the people working within it, including:

That 7.1 per cent of respondents use a digital platform for work, or have done so in the past 12 months
Many platform workers rely on income from gig work - 15.5 per cent consider it "essential for meeting their basic needs". A further 24.3 per cent say it is an "important part of overall income, but not essential".
Younger people and males are working through digital platforms in higher proportions than other demographic groups. Women are half as likely as men to work on digital platforms.
Respondents in regional areas are less likely to have done platform work than respondents in a major city.
A wide variety of people seek work through digital platforms, including people who are living with a disability, temporary residents, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Platform workers surveyed were highly satisfied with the flexibility of gig work but were less satisfied that the income they received was fair.
Chaired by Natalie James, the Victorian Inquiry into the On-Demand Workforce was announced in September 2018 to address concerns about the gig economy. The preliminary survey findings are available at engage.vic.gov.au/inquiry-on-demand-workforce.

As noted by Minister for Industrial Relations Tim Pallas

_"It's clear the gig economy affects many Australians and many Victorians. It's why we're pushing ahead with our inquiry and leading the way in responding to the challenges of this sector."_​​_"According to these findings, many Australians are relying on gig work to make a living. It's crucial these workers have the right to fair pay and safe working conditions."_​
As noted by Inquiry Chair Natalie James

_"Until now, we haven't had reliable data about the size of the gig economy or the way in which workers are accessing digital platforms."_​​_"The Victorian Government's investment in this survey reinforces our commitment to take an evidence-based approach to considering the impact of this way of working in our labour market."_​​


----------

