New research released today into people's attitudes to wealth has concluded that Australians suffer from an illusion of equality.

The survey of 1,000 Australians found wealth inequality - where 20 per cent of people own more than 60 per cent of Australia's wealth - is dramatically underestimated.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions commissioned the research on attitudes to inequality and the minimum wage in the lead-up to Monday's hearing of the national minimum wage case.

ACTU secretary Jeff Lawrence says respondents believe Australia is far more equal than reality suggests.

"Australians actually think that Australia's society is more equal than what it actually is and they think that it should be more equal," he said.

Curiously wealthy people underestimated their value and poorer people overestimated theirs.

Mr Lawrence says respondents also believed the basic wage was higher than the actual base rate of $15 per hour.

"Liberal voters overestimate the minimum wage by the largest margin, about $2.22 an hour," he said.

"If you look at the total sample, 83 per cent supported raising the minimum wage with only 5 per cent being opposed."