Is 'a fair go' a dirty word in Australia. The 'I'm alright Jack' is Australia today, LOOK AFTER No 1, where wages growth is dead.

13.3% of people below the poverty line, but the 'I'm alright Jack's' are laughing all the way to the bank.

Australia has more billionaires than ever before, as well as more people living below the poverty line, writes Paul Davis.

A PREVIEW of the 2017 Australian Financial Review 'Rich List' last week revealed that Australia has 60 billionaires — more billionaires than ever before.

That's sixty Australian billionaires, while the nation has 2.9 million people (13.3 per cent of the population) living at or below the international poverty line, including 774,000 children.

Australian workers are experiencing anaemic salary growth, work in less secure, employment and Federal Government budget policy settings seek to lower taxes on business, while squeezing those in need and increasing costs and charges on the youth.

The increasing wealth of a few may be evidence of Australia advancing — but is it fair? Does anyone care?

Maybe even the greedy will see that lower wages lowers the tax take and reduces spending power and slows growth and profits.