Fuelled by the resources boom, the Australian economy has enjoyed an unprecedented 25 years of economic growth, more than doubling in real terms over that period. But, now, the Australian economy is slowing. Productivity is sluggish, employment growth is weakening, and consumer confidence is faltering. Many economists are now predicting an extended period of slow...

This report aims to improve our understanding of the causes of skill shortages, the way businesses respond and the short-term consequences of skill shortages. Reponses from small- and medium-sized businesses reveal that skill shortages matter, but that their relationship to firm performance differs according to the nature of the skill shortage. The findings confirm that...

The National Institute of Labour Studies, Flinders University, were commissioned by the Australian Fair Pay Commission Secretariat to investigate the size, trends in, and determinants of, the difference between male and female pay in Australia focusing on occupations and industries with a high density of Pay-Scale reliant workers. The authors compare the wages of women...

With control of the Senate, the Coalition government will move further down the path of labour market deregulation. Further changes will cater to the interests of employers, with special attention to small business owners, while hastening the demise of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission and imposing additional fetters on trade union activity. Yet, says Josh...

The labour force experiences of new migrants say much about the overall success of their settlement into Australia. Do they find jobs that match their skills and provide a satisfactory level of earnings? How do their varied backgrounds and English capabilities affect their engagement with work in Australia? How susceptible are they to unemployment? In...