Expert Author

David Peetz

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Laurie Carmichael Distinguished Research Fellow

David Peetz is the Laurie Carmichael Distinguished Research Fellow at the Centre for Future Work, and professor emeritus of employment relations at Griffith University. He is a co-researcher at the Inter-university Centre for Research on Globalisation and Work, Montreal, is on the board of the Union Education Foundation, and was a Distinguished Visiting Fellow in the City University of New York. He has a PhD from the University of NSW and Bachelor of Economics from Sydney University, and is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia.

He was once a manager in the Senior Executive Service of the Australian Government’s Department of Industrial Relations, prepared 2 reports to the Queensland Parliament on workers compensation, has given evidence to several federal parliamentary committees, and has undertaken work for unions, employers, the International Labor Organisation, the OECD and governments of both political persuasions in and outside of Australia. His books include Brave New WorkplaceWomen of the Coal Rushes; Unions in a Contrary World; Women, Labor Segmentation and Regulation; and The Realities and Futures of Work. Other recent publications have been on self-employment and the gig economy, productivity, wages and policy, road transport regulation, employee voice, and intimidation of scientists.

Research by David Peetz

Exploring the decline in the labour share of GDP

The share of total economic output in Australia that is paid to workers (in the form of wages, salaries, and

Submission to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee Inquiry into the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) bill 2023

Experts from the Centre for Future Work recently made a submission to the Senate committee studying the ‘Closing Loopholes’ bill,

A Better Future for Self-Employment

This report considers and challenges two common myths about self-employment. The first is that self-employment is inexorably growing. The second

Mid-Term Review of Albanese Government’s Labour Policy Reforms

A review of the Albanese government’s labour and industrial relations reforms at the mid-point of its term in office concludes

Employee voice and new rights for workplace union delegates

New rights for volunteer union delegates are set to make workplaces more, not less, cooperative, according to a new analysis.

Submission to the Secure Jobs Better Pay Review

The Secure Jobs Better Pay (SJBP) reforms were designed to address some areas where the industrial relations framework had not

Submission to Industrial Relations Victoria Inquiry on Restricting Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) in Workplace Sexual Harassment Cases

NDAs may protect victims’ privacy but power imbalances coerce signatures, silencing survivors, enabling repeat harassment, and obscuring prevalence; greater transparency

The curious incident of low wages growth

A new report considers why wages growth has been so low, despite a tight labour market and a brief surge

Submission to the Closing Loopholes Review

The Centre's submission says closing workplace law loopholes has boosted job security, pay equity, enforcement, and fairness across Australia’s labour

Submission to the Senate Select Committee on Productivity in Australia

The Centre's submission shows that Australia’s productivity depends on investing in secure jobs, skills, care industries, and equitable economic policy

Budget briefing paper 2026–2027

We examine the Budget in detail, from the perspective of workers and labour markets.

Submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Economic Legislation, Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 1) Bill 2026 and a related bill

The Centre for Future Work’s submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Economic Legislation, Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No.

Contractual distancing, insecure work and the law

Can legislation respond to changes in capitalism that are adverse for workers?