Australia

Australia's Colonial Past

Australia's colonial history is central to mothers' experiences and mothering practice within the country. When Australia was colonized in the 18th century, the mothering relationships of indigenous Australian women were interrupted, often brutally; this pattern continued into the 20th century, with the forced removal of children from indigenous families. There are still different welfare provisions for maternity payments, for example, for some groups of indigenous women. Indigenous mothers continue to experience significant social, economic, [Page 91]and educational disadvantages, and the health and well-being of indigenous mothers and children is negatively affected. Indigenous infant mortality rates are twice that of other Australian children, although there have been some reductions in recent years. While indigenous mothers have more children on average than other groups of Australian women, they do so under considerably more difficult conditions.

This colonial past also shapes the national emphasis on the importance of women birthing and mothering children; Australia's geographic isolation and relatively small population have shaped national thinking about reproduction. Throughout Australia's history, there have been repeated national calls for women to produce children. In 1903, a Royal Commission on the Decline of the Birth Rate in NSW reported with concern that the number of children born to women had fallen from 7 to 4 children on average between 1870 and 1900. In the latter years of the 20th century, similar concerns were raised as fertility rates fell below replacement levels. Currently, Australia's birth rate is approximately 1.91 children per woman, which, while below replacement levels (2.1), compares favorably with birth rates in some other developed countries. In the past five years, birth rates have risen from 1.7 in 2000–01 to their current level. Immigration has been an important feature of Australia's population growth, and women coming from other nations generally experience higher fertility rates.

Welfare and Incentives

Mothering has attracted different forms of economic support from the government in Australia, with some mothers receiving much better support than others. Forms of support have varied from emphasis on a family wage to direct payments for mothers to support childbearing activities. In the middle of the 19th century, there was a payment of 5 British pounds made to mothers for each child born (although indigenous mothers were excluded).

The Harvester Wage Judgement in 1907 entrenched the importance of the national wage standard, which would allow a man to support a wife and three children on what he brought home. Broader forms of social support, including family allowances (support payments for children) and childcare benefits, developed throughout the 20th century, particularly after World War II.

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