Women's Work In Regional Labour Markets: Spatial Versus Industry Differences

Abstract

This article reviews the impact of space on paid employment opportunities for women in regional areas of New South Wales. Regional labour markets have been categorised according to the distinct industry of major employment (O ‘Connor and Gordon, 1989: 212–214): agricultural regions; manufacturing regions undergoing structural change; natural resource regions; resort and retirement regions; isolated areas. The research compares six regional labour markets in New South Wales that fall into the categories of agricultural regions, natural resource regions and resort and retirement regions. It compares industry and occupation for men and women between these regions and with the metropolitan region. The article concludes that the labour market for women is more constrained in regional areas than in the metropolitan area. In addition, the article examines the differences in female and male labour markets between the three regional types and examines whether the variation in women's employment between regional types is as great as the variation for men. Differences between metropolitan and non-metropolitan labour market outcomes are pervasive regardless of industry differences between regions. A starting point for labour market policy (for example, equal employment opportunity) is an acknowledgement of this fundamental spatial difference.