November 2022

Australians Working 6 Weeks Unpaid Overtime, Costing Economy Over $92 Billion: Go Home on Time Day Report

New research shows Australian workers are on average working 6 weeks unpaid overtime per year, costing over $92 billion dollars in unpaid wages across the economy. The average worker is losing over $8,000 per year or $315 per fortnight due to what researchers have branded “time theft”. 23 November 2022 marks Go Home on Time

Electoral Act Reform a Crucial Opportunity for Tasmanian Truth in Advertising Laws

As the Tasmanian Parliament debates reforming the Electoral Act, integrity experts are urging politicians to use the opportunity to enact truth in political advertising protections, following deceptive and dangerous advertisements from the Australian Christian Lobby. Key Findings: Polling consistently finds most Australians want truth in political advertising laws, with 2021 Australia Institute polling research finding 87% of

Three’s Company: What is multi-employer bargaining?

featuring Fiona Macdonald and Lily Raynes

To combat persistently low wages growth, the Government has put forward its Secure Jobs Better Pay Bill, currently before the Senate. The most contentious reform within the Bill is ‘multi-employer bargaining’. We’ve heard employer groups call it a ‘seismic shift that will increase strikes’. On the other hand, unions are calling the reforms moderate. What

Greenwashing and Taxing Gas in the Crosshairs | Between the Lines

Welcome to the first edition of our newsletter, Between the Lines. Thanks to support from people like you, our work and impact has grown. It can be hard to keep up with everything we’re up to, so we’re going to distil it for you, sending our best and latest research and analysis, opinion pieces, videos and news straight to your inbox every fortnight-ish. Subscribe to get it sent to you.

Restoring Collective Bargaining Coverage Would Boost Wage Growth: Research Report

Proposed reforms to Australia’s industrial relations laws are likely to support higher coverage for collective bargaining in the national labour market, and provide a boost to stagnant wage growth according to new research from the Centre for Future Work. The report reviews historical data on the erosion of collective bargaining in Australia, and its close

Australia Remains in Bottom 10 on Global Climate List, Despite Improvements

Australia’s climate action again ranks in the bottom 10 of countries assessed in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2023. The CCPI is an annual analysis of climate performance by countries covering 92% of global emissions, conducted by international think tank Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and CAN International. Key Points: Australia’s overall ranking moved up four

Multi-Employer Bargaining Necessary for Fixing Wages Crisis

by Fiona Macdonald in The Conversation

Proposed reforms to Commonwealth industrial relations laws would create more opportunities for collective bargaining to occur on a multi-employer basis, rather than being limited solely to individual workplaces or enterprises. Business groups have attacked this proposal as a dramatic change that would supposedly spark widespread work stoppages and industrial chaos.

Major Red Flags: Reforms Needed to Stop Politician Pork-Barrelling

Major red flags in Australian grants administration must be addressed to prevent pork barrelling, according to a submission by the Australia Institute to the parliamentary inquiry into Commonwealth grants administration. Key Findings: 11 different pork-barrelling red flags were highlighted, the most significant include: funds not allocated in line with grant objectives, lack of personal consequences for Ministers

IR Reforms To Close Off The ‘Nuclear Option’ Will Protect Wages and Entitlements

New research from the Centre for Future Work quantifies the dramatic risks faced by workers whose employers unilaterally terminate enterprise agreements during the course of renegotiations. This aggressive employer strategy, which became common after a precedent-setting 2015 court decision, would be curtailed by new industrial relations legislation proposed by the Commonwealth Government.

Overwhelming Majority Support for Gov Intervention in Gas Price Crisis: Research

New polling research reveals an overwhelming majority of Australians (86%) support a government intervention in the gas industry, either through export controls, a windfall profits tax, or both. Key Findings: An overwhelming majority of Australians (86%) support a government intervention in the gas industry, either through export controls or a windfall profits tax or both.

Deceptive Political Ad Demonstrates Need for Truth in Political Advertising Laws in Tasmania

A prominent advertisement published by the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) in The Mercury today highlights the need for Truth in Political Advertising laws in Tasmania. Key Details: On 9 November 2022, The Mercury published an ad from ACL that said “Plan to criminalise parents who question their children’s wish to change gender? Likely lose government!”

Replace Parliament Prayers with Minute’s Silence: SA Voters

New research from public policy think tank The Australia Institute shows that two thirds of South Australian voters support the removal of Christian prayers from the opening of Parliamentary sittings. The Australia Institute surveyed of a representative sample of 616 South Australians in September, asking about the opening prayers and the recent addition of an

Climate Concern at Record High amid Floods: Largest Tracking Research on Climate in Australia

The Climate of the Nation 2022 Report reveals record numbers of Australians who are “very concerned” about climate change as record floods and extreme weather continue to wreak havoc across eastern Australia, and a majority believe governments are not doing enough to prepare for and adapt to the impacts, according to the largest and longest running research program into climate change attitudes in Australia.

Would further interest rate rises do more harm than good?

by Greg Jericho in The Guardian

In the past 7 months, the Reserve Bank has increased the cash rate by 275 basis points. That is as fast as any time since the RBA became independent. Given the pace of inflation growth, the rises are not wholly without cause, but as policy director, Greg Jericho notes in his Guardian Australia column the main drivers of inflation are now easing, and wages are yet to take off. In that case, should the RBA continue to raise rates given it will only slow the economy further?

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