Leisure and Social Inequality in Australia

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Abstract
Secondary analysis of a national survey was used to investigate the 'democratisation of leisure' in Australia. Contrary to the democratisation thesis, which suggests that leisure has mainly become a matter of'individual taste', the study revealed that leisure patterns were associated with age, gender, education, income and marital status. It was concluded that contemporary welfare state policies which are designed to change people's attitudes toward 'lifestyle' do nothing to alter structural factors that shape people's leisure behaviour. It is argued that unless structural inequalities are reduced or eliminated, it is unlikely that leisure patterns in Australia will become democratic.