The Wire

The Australian Bureau of Statistics first comprehensive analysis of wealth distribution was released last week and it shows a huge gap between the assets of the rich and poor. Although it did not compare changes in the distribution of wealth over time, the survey showed a large gap between the average and the majority wealth in Australia. The figures showed that the top 20% of the population own 60% of the country’s wealth. Critics have interpreted the results as the winding back of egalitarianism under the Howard Government.