Battlers and Billionaires

Unpacking inequality in Australia by renowned economist and MP Andrew Leigh

Is Australia fair enough? And why does inequality matter anyway?

From egalitarian beginnings, Australian inequality rose through the nineteenth century. Then we became more equal again, with inequality falling markedly from the 1920s to the 1970s. Now, inequality is returning to the heights of the 1820s. The housing and cost-of-living crises we face are some of the defining issues of our time.

In Battlers and Billionaires, Andrew Leigh shows that while inequality can fuel growth, it also poses dangers to society. Too much inequality risks cleaving us into two Australias, with little contact between the haves and the have-nots. And the further apart the rungs on the ladder of opportunity, the harder it is for a kid born into poverty to enter the middle class.

Battlers and Billionaires sheds fresh light on what makes Australia distinctive, and what it means to have – and keep – a fair go.

'Fun, fascinating and fundamentally important. A must-read for anyone who cares about bridging our divides.' —Julia Gillard

'Be warned: this book will open your eyes and prick your conscience.' —Ross Gittins

'A thought-provoking book which emphasises how far we have strayed from confidently discussing public policies that seek to give meaning to our egalitarian spirit.' —Laura Tingle

'This is required reading for every Australian who seriously cares about the fair go enduring.' —Peter FitzSimons

Contents:

1. First Nations to Federation

2. Federation to the 1970s – the Great Compression

3. The 1980s to Today – the Great Divergence

4. Drivers

5. Consequences of Inequality

6. Mobility

7. What Do Australians Think About Inequality?

8. What Is to Be Done?