On Sickness Days and Social Policy

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Abstract
In the comparative social policy literature, the Australian wel fare state has, with only a few exceptions, been characterised as lagging far behind most other advanced nations. After pro viding a survey of the main themes of that literature, the paper uses the example of paid compensation for periods of absence from employment due to sickness to illustrate the complexities of characterising Australian social policy development in com parative perspective. Whilst Australia is shown to have been a latecomer in providing social insurance and sickness and as remaining an exceptionally low spender on social insurance sickness benefits, it is also shown to have developed a very different, and, until quite recently, not necessarily inferior, social policy strategy for catering to the sickness needs of its population.

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