New Australian data exposes grim fact men don’t want to admit

A new study has exposed Aussie relationships – and while the results haven’t shocked women, it’s identified a fact men don’t want to admit.

It’s official: women are copping the short straw at home – but no one is surprised by the revelation.

New data has shown that while women are working “significantly more” than they did 20 years ago, causing a slight decline in the hours they’re able to put in at home – but men haven’t picked up the slack.

Instead, women are juggling additional hours at work alongside 50 per cent more cleaning than their male partners as their other halves contribute the exact same as they did two decades ago.

And as a result, it is creating “volcanic levels of resentment” and causing relationships to implode, with divorce rates and legal separations on the rise in Australia.

It’s one of several new findings from the 19th annual Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey that has drawn researchers to conclude “inequality has risen to a new high”.

New data shows women are copping the short straw at home as they are working more than ever but still receiving little help with domestic labour. Picture: TikTok

It’s sparking ‘resentment’ that has led to a spike in divorce rates. Picture: iStock

The HILDA Survey has been following the same people every year since 2001, surveying around 17,000 residents across 9,000 households to collect valuable information about economic and personal wellbeing, labour market dynamics and family life.

Funded by the Australian government and managed by the Melbourne Institute – a research department in the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Melbourne – the survey is widely considered one of Australia’s most valuable social research tools.

Its latest iteration has just been released, and it gives a grim insight into how women continue to endure unfair labour conditions at home.

Men still not doing their share of the housework

Australian men are not doing any more housework than they were 20 years ago, the study found.

Men spend an average of 12.8 hours on housework, which is the same amount of time as they were spending in 2002. While in comparison, women were spending 18.4 hours per week completing household tasks, such as cleaning, cooking, running and errands.

The researchers noted this was down from 23.8 hours in 2002, but it is still more than 5 hours more than men each week.

The analysis found women are also spending more time in paid work than they were 20 years ago.

Women average 28.5 hours a week in employment, compared to 22.2 hours in 2002. Men have had a tiny increase in hours spent at work, up to 37.9 hours, up from 37.7.

On average, men are spending 30 minutes a week more caring for children or loved ones, spending 5.5 hours a week on the task, up from 5 hours in 2002.

Aussie women are doing 50 per cent more housework than men. Picture: iStock

However women spend 10.7 hours a week caring, an increase on the 10.1 hours spent in 2002.

“We found that women take over a greater share of housework and care than their male partner in almost every employment scenario,” said report author Dr Inga Lass.

“While women do significantly more paid work than they used to, this divide of unpaid work at home has not changed significantly since we started measuring in 2002.

“The survey also allows us to see that men are overall more satisfied than women are with the current division of unpaid work around the house.

“Most women feel that they do more than their fair share at home, whereas men usually believe they share the housework and care fairly with their partner.”

Women ‘not surprised’ as men fight back

Reaction to these findings has not come as a shock to Australian women, with many stating they too suffer inequality at home.

“Is any woman surprised?” one asked on social media.

“My jaw remained in exactly the same place,” remarked another.

As one declared: “I don’t think we needed a survey to tell us that.”

“I’m happy to do majority of house work if I can stay at home, but women work just as much as men do now,” shared one.

“My life as a single parent was unbelievably easier than having a partner who thought our lives revolved around theirs,” said one more.

Another added: “The gender division of labour is as old as time itself.”

Men however, were not impressed with how the data painted them, with some claiming it “shamed” blokes for going to work.

“Slacking off? No we haven’t changed, we still do our job,” chipped in one guy.

“I’m actually offended,” another bloke agreed.

The findings, released as part of a government-funded research project, have divided men and women. Picture: TikTok

Changes to Australian households

A couple with dependent children remains the most common household type, while a household containing a couple with no children is the second most common, the data showed.

Single-parent households are becoming less common, with researchers stating this is likely because of economic challenges from the last five years.

The report also found single parents have experienced a 76 per cent increase in childcare costs per child since 2006, compared with a 48 per cent increase for couples.

“The average number of hours of paid child care per week has increased in all age groups over the period,” the report read.

Spending over the last 20 years has also changed with “large increases in mean expenditure on motor vehicle fuel and mortgage repayments, consistent with growth in fuel prices and interest rates in 2022”.

But there were items that declined in expenditure, including alcohol, tobacco, telephone and internet costs, car repairs and children’s clothing.

Originally published as New Australian data exposes grim fact men don’t want to admit