The rise of peer-to-peer platforms such as Uber have given a new meaning to the term 'portfolio' worker.
Now workers can have a part-time job they supplement at the weekend by driving their car as a taxi in urban centres, or they could come to dominate the market for putting Ikea furniture together on platforms such as AirTasker.
This could be great news for working mothers, who have traditionally struggled to combine their caring duties with working.
Every year thousands of hopeful female graduates stream into the market, but once they reach the age of 28 they start dropping out in droves as they start their own families. And part-time and casual work could be one way to get back into the market after having children.
There is no doubt that part-time and casual work is on the up. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in the 12 months to July 2016 while the economy grew by almost 220,000 jobs, the vast majority – some 190,000 – were part time. In contrast, only 30,000 of these new jobs were full-time.
Belinda Bennett is one such mum returning to work after a five-year career break looking after her three children. Now that her youngest is about to start school she's going back to work on a part-time basis.
"It's great that there has been such an increase in flexible roles – not just for mothers, but for everyone," she says.
"It's the fact that employers are so much more open to flexible work that has helped me get back into the workforce after a long career break looking after my three children.
"Without that flexibility there is no way I would be able to go back to work."
However, it's not all roses in the part-time and casual labour markets. The ABS thinks that the growth in part-time work is partly a case of demand, with more people wanting to work part-time, but that it's also a case of supply: there simply isn't enough work to go around.
So while unemployment has fallen since 2009, underemployment (where people can't work the number of hours that they would like to) has risen.
It's also worth remembering that before casual work was labelled the 'gig economy', it used to be known by the far less glamorous term of 'contingent work'. It was considered an option for unskilled workers who effectively had very few labour rights.
However, the increase of flexible work is a defining trend for the future, and it does offer opportunities to women. And casual work is no longer confined to unskilled workers, as different platforms spring up looking to connect workers with employers.
One such new platform is Crowd & Co, a startup that looks to connect freelance lawyers with companies looking for short-term legal advice. Jobs on the platform could range from a six-month contract to just a couple of hours working on a legal brief.
Crowd & Co chief operating officer Liz Gray thinks the platform offers huge opportunities for mums. "There are a lot of women out there who are really keen to put their skills and experience to good use, but the traditional way of working in the legal sector doesn't work for them," she says.
"We look to connect them with short-term work and flexible work – and often this is work they can do from home. It's a win-win for everyone: the client gets access to a great lawyer, and the woman continues her professional practice.
Interested in 'gigging'? Here are a few things mums should keep in mind before they start.
• You are now effectively working as a contractor, so don't expect to have the same rights as an employee.
• You don't get paid for sick leave or holiday leave, so you need to build that in to your contracting fee.
• You are effectively now running a business and have to think about WorkCover, tax, public liability etc.
• Get a good accountant, as there are only so many things that you can do by yourself.
• Build up an expertise. It can be hard to say no to work in order to focus in a particular area, but in the long run, as an expert, you will be in demand.
Kate Mills is the founder & CEO of ProfessionalMums.net, an online platform that connects highly skilled women with flexible employers. She is passionate about diversity, flexibility, and wringing every last drop of fun out of life.