Essential Report
Impact of Casualisation of work
Q. Approximately 35% of Australia’s workforce is now employed on a casual or contract basis.
Casual employees are not entitled to annual or sick leave or superannuation. They also face greater employment uncertainty. However, people choose casual work as it can provide higher wages and more flexibility in terms of hours.
Overall, do you think casual work has been good or bad for the following people or groups?
NET: Good | NET: Bad | Very good | Quite good | Neither good, nor bad | Quite bad | Very bad | |
Employers | 65% | 11% | 22% | 43% | 24% | 8% | 3% |
The economy | 46% | 19% | 13% | 33% | 35% | 14% | 6% |
Individual workers | 42% | 29% | 12% | 30% | 29% | 19% | 10% |
The nation | 41% | 26% | 11% | 30% | 33% | 18% | 8% |
For you personally | 30% | 17% | 12% | 18% | 53% | 9% | 8% |
- Casual labour is seen to most benefit employers (65% think casual work has been very good or quite good) and the economy (46%).
- While 42% of people think casual work has been good for individual workers, 29% think it has been very bad or quite bad.
- Around a third of people (30%) say casual work has been good for them personally.

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