ABSTRACT
Australia has been seen as a ‘pure’ (Kemp, 1976, p. 124) case of an advanced industrial society. It was ‘born modern’ without feudal remnants and with a free capitalist economy. Economically, particularly since the Second World War, the tertiary sector has been growing in importance vis-a-vis the manufacturing and rural sectors. Socially, Australia has been one of the most urbanised and suburbanised industrial nations. In sum it may be characterised as a small (population 14, 000, 000), rich (in world terms) capitalist country. Women constitute 49 per cent of the population but the incidence of women in positions of economic, political and social power is ‘statistically insignificant’ (see Women’s Advisory Body Working Party, 1977, p. 5).
