Overview

This report to the Department of Human Services and Health analyses data from the Australian Living Standards Study (ALSS) and is based on information provided by families living in the urban areas studied: five outer areas (Berwick and Werribee in Melbourne, Campbelltown and Penrith in Sydney, and Elizabeth / Munno Para in Adelaide), two middle areas (Box Hill in Melbourne and Ryde in Sydney), and two inner areas (Melbourne and South Sydney). The report explores the links between the localities in which people live and their employment opportunities. It discusses national employment trends, and presents findings about the employment characteristics of the nine urban localities, employment characteristics of ALSS parents, and factors associated with employment / unemployment for parents in the nine urban localities. The report indicates that where people live has an important bearing upon their living standards in terms of access to employment, in that our cities do not consist of one large labour market, but a series of overlapping sub-labour markets with varying conditions. The report demonstrates that the location of different industries is one of the central organising principles of our cities