Lebanese Muslims living in Australia are severely disadvantaged, with almost half the men aged between 25 and 64 out of work

Jewel Topsfield:

The study, to be published in People and Place journal, found that Lebanese Muslims were clearly worse off than Lebanese Christians and other Australians, both migrants and the native born.

It found the income of Lebanese Muslims per household member was half the national average.

Lebanese Muslims earned a median weekly income of $152 per household member, compared to Lebanese Christians, who earned $253. The national average was $302.

"A key reason for low incomes in Lebanese Muslim households is lack of employment," the report, Lebanese Muslims in Australia and Social Disadvantage, said.

Taking men aged 25-64 as a group, 47 per cent of Lebanese Muslims were either unemployed or not in the workforce, compared to 28 per cent of Lebanese Christians and 21 per cent of all men in this age group.

"Overall, Lebanese Muslim households tend to be relatively large, poor and disconnected from paid work," the report said. "Given the times, the situation is not promising."

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