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Opinions
David Peetz

Want to lift workers’ productivity? Let’s start with their bosses

Originally published in The New Daily on August 18, 2025
Business representatives sit down today with government and others to talk about productivity. Who, according to those business representatives, will need to change the way they do things?
The elephant in the room is that it is business tha…

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August 19, 2025
Opinions
Charlie Joyce

Dutton’s nuclear push will cost renewable jobs

As Australia’s federal election campaign has finally begun, opposition leader Peter Dutton’s proposal to spend hundreds of billions in public money to build seven nuclear power plants across the country has been carefully scrutinized. The technological unfeasibility, staggering cost, and scant de…

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April 15, 2025
Opinions
Greg Jericho

Chalmers is right, the RBA has smashed the economy

In recent weeks the Treasurer Jim Chalmers has been criticised by the opposition and some conservative economists for pointing out that the 13 interest rate increases have slowed Australia’s economy. But the data shows he is right. Last year the government announced it was considering removing its statutory power to overrule the Reserve Bank. Thankfully…

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September 11, 2024
Opinions
Fiona Macdonald

The 9 to 5 is back! Time to put the phone on silent

A new report on Australia’s standard of living has found that low real wages, underfunded public services and skyrocketing prices have left many families experiencing hardship and hopelessness. Business representatives sit down today with government and others to talk about productivity. Who, according to those business representatives, will need to change the way they do…

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August 31, 2024

Closing Loopholes Protections, Including Right to Disconnect, Come Into Effect 26 August

New labour rights coming into effect on 26 August, including the ‘Right to Disconnect’. On Monday, 26 August, several legal and regulatory changes included in the Closing Loopholes Act (passed earlier this year by Parliament) will come into effect. These changes will better protect casual employees, with a new legal definition of what constitutes casual…

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August 20, 2024
Opinions
Matt Grudnoff

Would you like a recession with that? New Zealand shows the danger of high interest rates

New Zealand’s central bank raised interest rates more than Australia and went into a recession – twice. Recently there have been calls for the Reserve Bank to increase interest rates because inflation has remained “sticky” at 3.5%-4%. These calls are coming even though this may push Australia into recession. This horrifying scenario is being shrugged…

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July 29, 2024
Opinions
Lisa Heap

Does leave for menstruation and menopause advance women’s rights and gender equality at work?

There are growing calls for the establishment of new work rights, including additional leave, for those who experience menstruation and menopause*. These biological processes are normal and are experienced by large numbers of workers. Yet their sometimes debilitating effects have been ignored in the framework of workplace rights historically built around men’s experience of life…

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May 29, 2024
Opinions
Jim Stanford

Video: The Right to Disconnect is NOT Bad for Productivity

The Right to Disconnect legislation being passed recently has attracted criticism from Opposition leader Peter Dutton and business groups, who say it’s bad for productivity. They may need to learn some basic maths, because they couldn’t be more wrong. Research indicates the average Australian worker performs 280 hours of unpaid overtime per year, equating to…

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April 9, 2024
Opinions
Fiona Macdonald

Fixing the work and care crisis means tackling insecure and unpredictable work

The Fair Work Commission is examining how to reduce insecurity and unpredictability in part-time and casual work to help employees better balance work and care. The Commission is reviewing modern awards that set out terms and conditions of employment for many working Australians to consider how workplace relations settings in awards impact on work and…

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March 19, 2024
Opinions
Lisa Heap

On International Women’s Day: How the Fair Work Commission Can Really Take On the Gender Pay Gap

This International Women’s Day, it is time to call on Australia’s workplace umpire, the Fair Work Commission, to finally close the gender pay gap. Half a century after the commission’s predecessor granted women “equal pay for equal work” in a landmark case in 1969, the gap remains between 12% and 21%. Amendments to the Fair Work Act by…

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March 8, 2024
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