Existing AI technologies could boost labour productivity growth in Australia to levels last seen in the late 1990s and early 2000s, according to a leading AI developer.
The Business Council is urging the Albanese Government to repeal part of its intractable bargaining determination framework, while warning of same-job, same-pay orders that risk "overcompensating" labour hire workers and imposing additional obligations where they are already receiving host rates, in its submission to the Closing Loopholes review.
The National Employment Standards' weekly hours limit is incompatible with FIFO and 24/7 operations because of their reliance on averaged and extended shifts, and the "reasonableness" test is too burdensome, AREEA says in its submission to the NES inquiry.
Economists, labour market researchers, and unions have hit back at claims more deregulation is the key to productivity growth, in submissions to a Senate inquiry.
A right-wing think tank has told a Senate inquiry that productivity is an increasingly unreliable measure and other statistics provide a better gauge of the economy's health.
In submissions to the NES review, unions are pushing for the Albanese Government to add 10 days paid reproductive leave to the standards, with the backing of a Labor senator, while the Centre for Future Work is advocating for an additional 10 days paid carers leave.
Working from home arrangements have been a big success in the Australian Public Service, with a mere handful of disputes about flexible work requests, the CPSU has told a Senate inquiry into a bill aimed at enshrining WFH rights.
Employers say the National Employment Standards should cap the number of public holidays attracting penalty rates, boost "flexibility" for part-timers and those working from home, and keep the gig economy beyond coverage, while academics support removing the 12-months service qualifier for parental leave.
A House of Representatives committee has begun an inquiry into the "operation and adequacy" of the National Employment Standards, after a referral from Workplace Relations Minister Amanda Rishworth.
The Minns Labor Government's rush to pass contentious workers' compensation amendments has backfired, with the NSW upper house sending the legislation to a Greens-chaired inquiry that will get to decide its own reporting date.
