In 1907, the Harvester Judgement set a minimum wage for unskilled labourers of 2 pounds, 2 shillings per week the amount an average worker paid for food, shelter and clothing – for him and his family.



This has persisted, It was assumed men needed more because they ha a family to support.

A female friend of mine in the USA had to start her own advertising business because her 'Madmen' employers paid the a young man, same age same quals about 20% more in the 70's. Even when she was winning the awards this persisted.

What a load of rubbish , the number of women I've seen promoted way beyond their capabilities simply so the employer could say they are an equal opportunity employer is ridiculous. Women have all the advantages, these women were promoted ahead of capable men and they were basically useless and should never of got the job, and to make it worse those men who should of got the job had to end up doing the job for them. Happens all the time now.

Dee and by the way I've seen most of these women playing silly girly games all day instead of doing their jobs. It's disgusting to watch. Don't worry about 20% less they shouldn't of been paid at all.

Unfortunately, many women did not work or worked part-time and have ended up divorced. Some get settlements that will keep them, some don't. This is about the women who don't have a house and end up living in their car or on the street. The numbers are growing more rapidly than homeless older men. Rising property and rental prices are keeping poor retirees out of rentals, both men and women. Unfortunately, this is what the stats say.

What about the men who ended up divorced? Did the reap the 'lion's share' or did they give the 'lioness' share'?

How many such men ended up with NOTHING for their years of toil?

How many lived on the street or in their car?

More Than Women Did!

Dee what BS, by saying the number of homeless women is growing faster than men you try to ignore the fact almost all homeless are men. Just so women can be a victim here as well. I notice that now they are also claiming women who live in someone else's house are homeless as well. Just feminists playing with numbers as usual. The real homeless are the ones living on the street , sleeping rough and almost all of them are men. So take your feminist BS somewhere else.

That's right dee. These women did not work or chose part time work.

I raised three kids alone and worked full time. Worked two jobs.

Through hard work I paid the mortgage and saved for retirement.

If people chose to not work then why does that deserve special consideration.

Women are still choosing to not work and stay home playing house and babies.

It's incredibly indulgent to then complain you don't have savings.

Women with no savings will have to finally compromise. Move to cheaper areas, organise share house arrangements or get the kids to support them finally if raising the poor darlings required 24/7 effort that means mum has no money saved.

The aged pension is adequate if you live in the affordable places.

I'm ok. I've got my super. Paid the same as a man in my position. However I didn't get to my current position until in my 40s and I was also casual when my kids were babies so my super is probably 10 years behind a man in the same position as me. But as the head of a department in a school, I've also seen how it is so much easier for a young man to get promotion. One particular young man and his wife have chosen for her to stay home with the 3 kids while he pushes his career ahead. Another young woman working alongside him has just gone through 5 years of her child rearing before she could get that promotion. She has had to use more sick leave to take care of sick children, she has had to leave various things earlier because her husband works various shifts etc. The young man just rings up the wife and says "I have to work back a bit longer'. He is 10 years in front of the woman as far as promotion goes. I guess women could/should choose career over marriage and children and then would have a fighting chance of being in an equal starting position. At least these days super isn't an option (unless you're casual or part-time as many women are because of family commitments). Many women my age made the choice with their husbands not to pay super and they are now left holding the baby.

Hey Tib, tell that to the women you live with and you will experience plenty of hot tongue and cold shoulder for a while!!

Dee Most women these days are living on their husbands super if they're still married and if theyre divorced they took most of everything he had so they should be able to live comfortably on that. That is of course if they didn't spend it all. Which they probably did.

Tib got it right.....

Making the choice to not save has serious consequences.

Young women today should be informed of this.

I saved outside super $1 for every $10 I got because I was taught it was a very sensible thing to do and would help build retirement savings. It also meant there was money for emergencies.

I still do it. I do it first. No you won't miss the money because it hasn't been spent. It's still there.

I also couldn't take promotion as a widow with three little kids I didn't have extra time to commit for the few dollars extra. I took a second job instead as that made more money. Then I started a business.

The problem is not being able to think ahead and see consequences.

Then not being willing to compromise when lifestyle has to change because the choices made have undesirable consequences.

We should be asking why women put men ahead of themselves when considering family commitments. If they are doing this then a dedicated saving account for the woman and the husband paying something into it regularly makes sense doesn't it.

Women are their own worst enemies when it comes to men for some strange reason.

Rae it's not women putting men before themselves but the other way around and it's easy for women to do nothing for themselves if their husband it doing everything for them. Even accepting the blame when everything is not as she would like it. And it's no use giving a women a bank account if all she does is empty it buying silly frivolous junk. Then telling herself she deserves it, how often have men heard this, all the time.

Rae by the sound of it you have had to grow up, most women have remained the child in relationships while the husband has been stuck with all the adult decisions and most of the sacrifices. Trust me when I tell you men don't want it this way and don't want the burden of a woman child.

Yes, anyone who hasn't paid enough super or had a low paying job, or just bad luck, should be assisted to stay off the streets with some sort of housing assistance. Today's rent in over-inflated housing markets make it very difficult to survive on a pension.

I smell a back-track there, dee...

Dee you can't afford to live in some areas if you didn't make the commitment over time. Or live on your own terms.

There are plenty of places where the OAP and rent supplement will allow a comfortable but frugal living.

The current rents due to crazy house prices do make it very hard.

Most non savers will now have to compromise unfortunately because they chose not to back when they had the choice decades ago.

I think they fixed that with the $1.6 million cap.And the $25 000 annual limit.

If you are to tax super then the portions that have already been taxed at either 15% or full income tax levels for after tax contributions would have to be sorted.

We tax super going in and in there but not coming out.

Other countries do not tax going in or in the fund but tax coming out.

Personally I think they need to give retirees and super a miss for changing anything for a year or two as it's been done to death recently.

My income is actually counted in the income test and prevents me receiving an OAP or discounts.

Some is super and some from outside investments still fully taxed.

I like the tobin tax idea myself as it is equitable and would capture all money no matter what it's classed as.

Huh? Bloody internet to the node by Malcolm as Minister....

Cessnock boys are born and bred,
Strong in the arm,
And thick in the head.

(the benefits of a Hunter Region upbringing)....