Queensland
Unpaid domestic work
In Queensland 20.7% of the population over 15 did more than 14 hours of housework each week in 2021.
There has been increased interest in identifying, acknowledging and valuing the unpaid work that supports home and community life. The changing amount of time spent on unpaid housework in different Household Types and, particularly the distribution of this work within the household, can indicate the changing roles of males, females and older children in society. The level of unpaid domestic work in Queensland may also be related to Household Income, as higher income households are able to outsource some of these tasks.
Derived from the Census question:
'In the last week did the person spend time doing unpaid domestic work for their household?'
Persons aged 15 years and over.
| Unpaid domestic work | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queensland - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence) | 2021 | 2006 | Change | |||||
| Hours spent on unpaid domestic work | Number | % | Greater Capital Cities % | Number | % | Greater Capital Cities % | 2006 to 2021 | |
| Did unpaid domestic work | 2,873,876 | 68.6 | 67.4 | 2,198,851 | 71.2 | 69.3 | +675,025 | 10001 |
| Less than 5 hours | 845,018 | 20.2 | 20.3 | 668,430 | 21.7 | 22.8 | +176,588 | 10002 |
| Between 5 and 14 hours | 1,161,729 | 27.7 | 27.3 | 775,576 | 25.1 | 24.4 | +386,153 | 10003 |
| Between 15 and 29 hours | 507,771 | 12.1 | 11.7 | 386,107 | 12.5 | 11.5 | +121,664 | 10004 |
| 30 hours or more | 359,358 | 8.6 | 8.2 | 368,738 | 11.9 | 10.5 | -9,380 | 10005 |
| Did no unpaid domestic work | 1,013,084 | 24.2 | 26.8 | 572,116 | 18.5 | 20.6 | +440,968 | 10006 |
| Not stated | 304,858 | 7.3 | 5.7 | 315,347 | 10.2 | 10.1 | -10,489 | 10007 |
| Total persons aged 15+ | 4,191,818 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 3,086,314 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +1,105,504 | |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing (opens a new window) 2006 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (opens a new window)(informed decisions).
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Dominant groups
Analysis of the unpaid domestic work performed by the population in Queensland in 2021 compared to Greater Capital Cities shows that there was a higher proportion of persons who performed 15 hours or more of unpaid domestic work per week.
Overall, 20.7% of the population reported performing 15 hours or more of unpaid domestic work, compared with 19.9% for Greater Capital Cities.
The major differences between the share of the population performing unpaid domestic work in Queensland and Greater Capital Cities were:
- A larger percentage of persons who did unpaid domestic work (total) (68.6% compared to 67.4%)
- A smaller percentage of persons who did no unpaid domestic work (24.2% compared to 26.8%)
Emerging groups
The largest changes in the number of people performing unpaid domestic work in Queensland, between 2006 and 2021 were those who:
- Did unpaid domestic work (+675,025 persons)
- Did no unpaid domestic work (+440,968 persons)
- Did between 5 and 14 hours of domestic work (+386,153 persons)
- Did less than 5 hours of domestic work (+176,588 persons)