Claims that Australia faces a productivity crisis are overblown, this report argues. It presents evidence showing productivity growth in recent decades has not been equally reflected in higher real wages and better living standards. Proactive measures to lift wages and living standards are needed if stronger productivity growth is to support stronger living standards.

Current negotiations between the Commonwealth and state governments risk cementing long-standing underfunding of public schools according to the accepted Schooling Resource Standard (SRS). This will likely exacerbate recent declines in Australian school achievement and completion.

This briefing paper reviews the main features of the 2024-25 Commonwealth Budget from the perspective of workers and labour markets.

The authors of this paper argue that a significant increase to the minimum wage, and accompanying increases to award rates, would not have a significant effect on inflation in Australia.

This research confirms that corporate profits in Australia, despite recent moderation, remain well above historic norms, and must fall further in order to allow a rebuilding of real wages in Australia that have been badly damaged by recent inflation.