Only a casual? But isn't casual work highly desirable?

Some casuals can take a holiday when they want and value the flexibility highly. Many others have few holidays because they cannot get away, lack funds, or are fearful of not having a job when they return.

Casual work sometimes has positive effects on health, but more often it is mentioned as a negative: undermining self-esteem and contributing to worry and stress over money and predictable work. Some are depressed and, at the extreme, have suicidal thoughts. Casual workers often do not report injuries or find their hours cut if they do.

Casual work has effects beyond the individual. It affects children, partners, friendships, households and communities. Planning for events is difficult. In some cases it makes relationship formation difficult.

Trouble with financial planning, borrowing and saving for retirement are amongst the significant financial costs of casual work. Casual work leaches commitment to work and affects productivity as some casuals hang back from expressing their views at work or are excluded from contributing.

Many casuals would like to see better opportunities for conversion to permanency, access to paid sick and holiday leave, protection from repetitive rolling contracts, better protections from arbitrary dismissal, more respect and better terms for those employed through labour hire.