Equality And Inequality In Australia
Equality and inequality is a characteristic of every society, mainly due to differences and the perpetuation of these differences in society, caused by various factors including social class, race, ethnicity and appearance. Equality of opportunity holds great significance in Australian society and faces many barriers that range from status, power, ethnicity and race.
The existence of difference and discrimination in society, due to inadequate access to socially valued resources such as healthcare, housing, employment and the justice system, permits social differentiation and enables the formation of social classes. Social classes are a chief mechanism of organisation and social control in Australian society, allowing the distribution of power, wealth and privilege as well as the formation of socioeconomic statuses and thus a form of identification, which ultimately …show more content…
This is evident in the low level of access to socially valued resources and the poor living standards afforded to them, reinforced by minimal access to housing and healthcare, with an inquiry into Australia’s health in 1994 revealing that indigenous Australians were three times more likely to die of childhood diseases than other Australians, with males being 7.3 times more likely to die of respiratory infections than non indigenous males and mortality rates being some 15-20 years lower then non Indigenous Australians. Furthermore, there is a significant disparity between the living conditions and health status of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and those of other Australians. According to 1996 census data 6.2% of indigenous households include more than one family, compared with 1.1% of other Australian households. Overcrowding leads to faster deterioration of housing and exacerbates environmental health
The existence of difference and discrimination in society, due to inadequate access to socially valued resources such as healthcare, housing, employment and the justice system, permits social differentiation and enables the formation of social classes. Social classes are a chief mechanism of organisation and social control in Australian society, allowing the distribution of power, wealth and privilege as well as the formation of socioeconomic statuses and thus a form of identification, which ultimately …show more content…
This is evident in the low level of access to socially valued resources and the poor living standards afforded to them, reinforced by minimal access to housing and healthcare, with an inquiry into Australia’s health in 1994 revealing that indigenous Australians were three times more likely to die of childhood diseases than other Australians, with males being 7.3 times more likely to die of respiratory infections than non indigenous males and mortality rates being some 15-20 years lower then non Indigenous Australians. Furthermore, there is a significant disparity between the living conditions and health status of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and those of other Australians. According to 1996 census data 6.2% of indigenous households include more than one family, compared with 1.1% of other Australian households. Overcrowding leads to faster deterioration of housing and exacerbates environmental health