This paper summarises recent Treasury work that has sought to quantify the extent to which Australia’s geography explains the productivity gap with the United States. This work has found that Australia’s geography might explain as much as half of the productivity gap with the United States.

Over the past five years, the labour force participation rate of older Australian men has risen after declining for over 25 years. In combination with ongoing increases in older women’s participation, the participation rate of older persons is now at its highest level on record. This article describes some of the trends and discusses some...

This report argues that there is no labour shortage of such seriousness as to threaten the prosperity of the horticultural industry, worth $6.6 billion in 2003-04. It argues that measures to increase the labour force - including allowing seasonal contract labour from the Pacific islands - are not needed at this time. Nonetheless, the committee...

Australia’s minerals industry will need to find an extra 70,000 workers over the next decade to meet its demand for labour, according to a new report from the Minerals Industry National Skills Shortage Strategy (NSSS) Working Party. Buoyed by sustained global economic growth, employment in the minerals sector is projected to increase by 76% over...

This report aims to address lost productivity and skill wastage in the labour force by promoting an efficient skills recognition and licensing system that is responsive to the needs of both industry and clients, while maintaining Australian occupational standards.