Finally, something great out of Australia! Not that I've anything against Aussies, I'm friends with a few.
Granted, they are ex-pat South Africans, but they've been in Oz for years, love it there and consider themselves Australian, so they must count as Aussies.
Australia, it emerged out of the matric Geography studies, counts housewives as Quinaries.
Yes, I know, a big "huh?" moment for me too, but Geo brains explained. Of course, I googled and double checked on a few sites, but his textbook is right (phew, hundreds of thousands of Rands blown on his education well spent!)
Economists divide a nation's economy into activity sectors. A primary sector kicks off the first sector, being the one which extracts or harvests products from the earth. So agriculture, mining, fishing, quarrying etc.
Next comes the secondary sector, which manufactures finished goods. All manufacturing, processing and construction fall in here - metal work, car, ship and plane building, breweries, energy production, chemical and engineering industries.
Which leads us onto the tertiary sector - the service industry. Retail and wholesale sales, transport and distribution, entertainment, media, tourism, banking, law and healthcare are all within the tertiary sector.
Climbing the ladder of economic sectors, we arrive at the quaternary level - intellectual activities. Government (gulp - scary!!!) culture, libraries, information technology, education and scientific research.
Finally, we arrive at the pinnicle - the quinary sector. Top dogs. Considered to be the highest levels of decision making in a society or economy. So top executives in government, science, universities, culture and the media.
And bless Australia, HOUSEWIVES! The Oz government recognises domestic activities performed by stay-at-home parents or homemakers. Despite these activities not usually being measured in monetary terms, the Aussies have recognised how important the contribution that these activities make to the economy is.
Now, I'm married to a man who cannot, in any way, understand that running a home and family is a demanding challenge. He blows raspberries at any suggestion that the average South African woman, with her appliances and gadgets, home help, gardening service, and technology, is stretched or performing a worthy service. At all. And if he winds up dead with a plate smashed into his skull, it'll be because he's scoffed one time too many, when I've stood in the kitchen, eyes round as saucers, and hissed through gritted teeth "I cannot deal with the waterproofing contractor tomorrow, I've got too much to do!"
Note, if you will, STAY-at-home parents are in the top league - did no one think to ask where the working OUT of the home mothers fit in? Quinary +1? So I can't wait to show him www.geography.about.com, and stand smugly behind him while he sees that my homemaker status way outranks his paltry secondary sector.
Sadly, in this money ranked world, no matter how you cut it, his salary way outranks mine, and is set to do so for a long time yet.
Now if only the Oz government could find a way to institute minimum wages for running homes and families....emigration would be on my agenda!
It has been said that 'the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world' - funny how, in the global flurry to measure the size of the executive package and status, only the Australians have worked out that the person who does the household shopping, chooses the schools, Doctor and Dentist, makes the decisions on the service providers and books the holidays is a supremely powerful decision maker and influencer.
Still, I do believe that we need to give some thought to petitioning who knows who here in South Africa, and at least get homemakers the recognition they well deserve. Shall we meet for a glass of wine to discuss the campaign?
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