As at December 2010 83.76% of Male workers worked full time and 54.72% of Female workers worked full time.
From the following chart it can be seen how these percentages have been changing over the last 30 years, with Part time work becoming more common over the years.
However, figures alone are NOT the full story.
In 2008, the Australian Institute of Family Studies reported that only 20% of those women employed part-time would prefer to work more hours.
Even then, without figures to show that they would have wanted full time hours, they may still prefer Part Time, but just a few more hours ?
| Year | Male Full Time |
Female Full Time |
Male Part Time |
Female Part Time |
| Dec-1978 | 94.81% | 66.11% | 5.19% | 33.89% |
| Dec-1979 | 94.75% | 65.89% | 5.25% | 34.11% |
| Dec-1980 | 94.60% | 65.33% | 5.40% | 34.67% |
| Dec-1981 | 94.99% | 65.94% | 5.01% | 34.06% |
| Dec-1982 | 93.97% | 63.52% | 6.03% | 36.48% |
| Dec-1983 | 93.88% | 64.27% | 6.12% | 35.73% |
| Dec-1984 | 94.08% | 64.03% | 5.92% | 35.97% |
| Dec-1985 | 94.09% | 63.03% | 5.91% | 36.97% |
| Dec-1986 | 93.20% | 61.61% | 6.80% | 38.39% |
| Dec-1987 | 92.74% | 61.68% | 7.26% | 38.32% |
| Dec-1988 | 92.78% | 61.23% | 7.22% | 38.77% |
| Dec-1989 | 91.98% | 60.95% | 8.02% | 39.05% |
| Dec-1990 | 91.88% | 60.12% | 8.12% | 39.88% |
| Dec-1991 | 90.82% | 59.25% | 9.18% | 40.75% |
| Dec-1992 | 89.99% | 58.90% | 10.01% | 41.10% |
| Dec-1993 | 90.01% | 58.48% | 9.99% | 41.52% |
| Dec-1994 | 89.03% | 57.76% | 10.97% | 42.24% |
| Dec-1995 | 89.19% | 57.59% | 10.81% | 42.41% |
| Dec-1996 | 88.57% | 57.53% | 11.43% | 42.47% |
| Dec-1997 | 87.93% | 57.18% | 12.07% | 42.82% |
| Dec-1998 | 87.40% | 57.12% | 12.60% | 42.88% |
| Dec-1999 | 87.83% | 57.00% | 12.17% | 43.00% |
| Dec-2000 | 87.20% | 56.90% | 12.80% | 43.10% |
| Dec-2001 | 86.33% | 55.34% | 13.67% | 44.66% |
| Dec-2002 | 85.59% | 54.98% | 14.41% | 45.02% |
| Dec-2003 | 85.54% | 55.19% | 14.46% | 44.81% |
| Dec-2004 | 85.38% | 55.47% | 14.62% | 44.53% |
| Dec-2005 | 85.50% | 54.81% | 14.50% | 45.19% |
| Dec-2006 | 84.61% | 56.06% | 15.39% | 43.94% |
| Dec-2007 | 84.91% | 56.30% | 15.09% | 43.70% |
| Dec-2008 | 85.05% | 54.79% | 14.95% | 45.21% |
| Dec-2009 | 83.37% | 54.45% | 16.63% | 45.55% |
| Dec-2010 | 83.76% | 54.72% | 16.24% | 45.28% |
Figures sourced from: 6202.0 – Labour Force, Australia Bureau of Statistics Table 3