MEDIA RELEASE
26 August 2011	Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	97/2011
Men and women are both living longer, and prospering

Women are still living longer than men, but men are closing the gap, according to a new publication released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.

Over the last ten years life expectancy at birth has increased at a greater rate for men (by 3 years) than for women (by 2 years). However, women continue to have a higher life expectancy at birth (now 84 years for women and 79 years for men).

The new publication, Gender Indicators, Australia, looks at the differences between males and females in the main areas of wellbeing such as economic security, education, work and family balance, health and safety and justice.

Over the past ten years women have increased their participation in the labour force, while it has remained relatively stable for men. However women earn 11% less than men per hour, on average.

Men and women also differ in how they spend their working time. While men and women both spend about the same amount of time working, whether in paid or unpaid work, men spend nearly double the amount of time than by women on employment related activities. Women spend nearly double the time on unpaid work, such as domestic activities, child care and voluntary work.

The publication also shows that in 2010, more women aged 18-24 years (31%) than men (23%) were studying towards a qualification at Bachelor's degree or above.

Men are more likely than women to have poor health risk factors, such as being overweight or obese (63% compared to 48% for women) or consuming alcohol at risky levels (15% compared to 12%). Women are more likely than men to report high or very high levels of psychological stress (14% compared to 10%).

The first issue of Gender Indicators, Australia, a new six-monthly publication, presents data from a wide range of sources to reflect the roles of men and women in Australian society, and monitors the changes that have occurred over time in their wellbeing.

To see the full range of indicators, and changes over time, see the full online product, Gender Indicators, Australia (cat. no. 4125.0).

Media note:
When reporting ABS data the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) must be attributed as the source.