The OECD recently updated its comparison of global minimum wages for all countries that have a national minimum wage. In 2019, Australia overtook Luxembourg as having the highest minimum wage in the world. In the previous year’s comparison, Australia had…
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Recent examples of PhD and Masters by Research students solving companies’ business problems reinforce the benefits they can bring to any business. One example of a successful collaboration connected a PhD student with Australian Vinegar, a company that has created…
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The pandemic is having a big impact on apprenticeship and traineeship numbers. Real-time data is hard to come by but one recent forecast by the Mitchell Institute was that currently enrolled apprentices/trainees would decline by approximately 20 per cent. With…
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One of the common catch cries of the COVID-19 period (other than ‘where is the toilet paper!?’) has been ‘never waste a crisis’. It’s hard to surf LinkedIn or other social media platforms without being hit in the face with…
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As Australia moves to re-establish and grow its economy, particularly in manufacturing areas, the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) skills shortfall that has been experienced for some years must be remedied. The crisis has served to highlight STEM skills…
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A big impact of COVID-19 has been its effect on attendance at education and training programs. Universities and TAFEs are still largely closed to physical attendance by students and apprentices, and generally companies are not allowing staff to attend training…
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“Nothing you do is the same in the pandemic.” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has repeated this warning every morning since that state’s restrictions started to be eased in early May. As low case numbers allow restrictions to be lifted, there…
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The JobKeeper wage payment scheme was introduced to help Australian businesses survive activity restrictions that have been introduced in response the COVID-19 pandemic that began to affect Australia through March 2020. It is a payment made to eligible businesses and…
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Major changes to taxation arrangements are central to our emerging from the COVID 19 crisis with a stronger, more resilient and better economy and society. To achieve this, we should set our sails for a higher productivity economy and a…
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Energy prices are falling sharply; This will take time to filter through to most users, but will be modestly helpful to most and very helpful for some; Suppliers will be in pain and private supply investments harder to justify; The…
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