ABSTRACT
Most observers assume that Australian families are in the midst of some significant change. Home was a place where husbands slept and ate: they sought company and entertainment away from home in the ale house and the betting shop. While time spent in food preparation and home care has diminished, time spent on shopping and managerial tasks, and time spent on ‘family care’ has increased despite the trend to smaller families. Smaller increases are found (0.35 hours per week) in the average time men devote to childcare and child minding and in the average time women devote to home maintenance and car care. Home maintenance and car care remain the most ‘masculine’ of all the household productive activities. On average men spend much more time in this category of activities than on laundry and cleaning put together. Women are also increasing their activity in the traditionally masculine area of home maintenance and car care.
