Unpaid Work in Australia Valued at $406 Billion, New Report Finds

Published 2026-11-04

A new report from the University of Sydney says that unpaid work in Australia was worth an estimated A$406 billion in 2024. The research shows how much economic activity happens outside of paid jobs, such as caring for children, cooking, cleaning and looking after older family members. The authors say this large amount of work is often missed when governments measure the economy.

The report suggests that current fiscal policy has a blind spot. Fiscal policy refers to how the government collects taxes and spends money. Because unpaid work does not produce wages or appear in standard economic figures, it rarely influences decisions about budgets and public services. Researchers argue that this can mean that the people doing this work, who are often women, receive less attention and support from policymakers.

The findings have led to calls for governments to include unpaid work in their planning. Experts say that better data would help policymakers understand how changes to childcare, aged care or household support could affect the wider economy. Some researchers also believe that recognising unpaid work more clearly could lead to fairer policies for families and carers.

The University of Sydney report is one of several recent studies that look at the value of care work in Australia. While the figures are estimates, the researchers say they show that unpaid work is a major part of national life. Whether governments will change how they measure and fund this work remains to be seen.

Sources: The University of Sydney

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