ABSTRACT

This study presents estimates of multidimensional household inequality in Australia from 2001 to 2017. Earnings inequality declines through the sample, while disposable income, non-durable consumption expenditures, food expenditures and net worth inequality exhibit relatively flat trends. The relatively flat trend for non-durable expenditures inequality, even over the life cycle, suggests households insure consumption against idiosyncratic shocks. Standard regression estimates of consumption growth against income shocks confirm this finding. Quantile regression estimates indicate households experiencing negative (positive) consumption growth have more sensitivity to negative (positive) income shocks than households with positive (negative) consumption growth, but coefficient estimates have small magnitudes, confirming standard tests.

摘要

这项研究提供了2001年至2017年澳大利亚多维家庭不平等的估计。通过样本，收入不平等有所减少，而可支配收入，非耐久消费支出，食品支出和净资产不平等呈现相对平稳的趋势。即使在整个生命周期中，非持久性支出不平等的相对平稳趋势也表明，家庭可以确保消费抵御特质冲击。消费增长对收入冲击的标准回归估计值证实了这一发现。分位数回归估计表明，消费增长为负（正）的家庭比消费增长为正（负）的家庭对负（正）收入冲击更敏感，但系数估计的幅度较小，证实了标准检验。