Women in opposite-sex couples do most of the housework according to the Australian Institute of Family Studies’ (AIFS) fifth report on its Families in Australia Survey.
The Institute said the Sharing of housework in couple families in 2020 Report presented an overview of the division of housework from couples who lived together, explored changes in how couples shared housework at different times during 2020 and their levels of satisfaction with how housework was shared.
“At the end of 2020, according to Families in Australia respondents, in 12 per cent of couple families, household tasks were always done by the female and in 30 per cent of couple families, they were usually done by the female,” the AIFS said.
“By comparison, in eight per cent of couple families, these tasks were usually done by the male and in two per cent of couple families, they were always done by the male,” it said.
“Household tasks were shared equally in 47 per cent of couple families.”
The AIFS said most men were satisfied with the way household tasks were divided between themselves and their partner (74 per cent satisfied or very satisfied) compared to 52 per cent of women.
The Institute said six per cent of men were dissatisfied with the division of labour compared to 24 per cent of women.
“Dissatisfaction among females was particularly apparent in families in which both partners worked full-time hours and the female usually or always did more housework,” it said.
The AIFS said the division of housework among Survey respondents was somewhat related to differences in paid work and time in the home, but also related to attitudes towards gender roles.
The AIFS’s 15-page Report can be accessed at this PS News link.
