Western Australia’s Cottesloe and Peppermint Grove the top-earning area while five of the lowest are in regional NSW
Australia’s highest and lowest income suburbs have been revealed in new data released by the Australian Taxation Office.
The data, based on nearly 15m tax returns from 2019-20, reveals the median income and super balances of Australians in each postcode across the country.
Continue reading...Workplace relations minister opens door to considering industrial relations changes as he announces gutting of building watchdog
Workplace relations minister Tony Burke has confirmed the current better-off-overall test that ensures workers do not go backwards will be on the table for discussion at the Albanese government’s jobs summit in September.
Burke said on Sunday he had been “sceptical” about having a conversation with employers and unions about the test, known as the Boot, at the September summit because he wanted Australian workers to have higher wages and conditions. The minister told the ABC he would “take some convincing” to overhaul the test.
Continue reading...Nation records 60 Covid deaths; SA records first monkeypox case; Anthony Albanese meets Justin Trudeau at Nato summit. This blog is now closed
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has renewed his calls for China to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, declaring that Vladimir Putin “has made a strategic mistake because what his actions have done is unite the democratic world”.
Albanese – who has been in Madrid for a Nato summit – spoke to reporters yesterday after having a meeting on the sidelines with the leaders of Japan, South Korea and New Zealand.
There we discussed the important focus of this Nato’s summit on the Asia-Pacific region. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has solidified the support amongst democratic countries for the rules-based international order and a determination to continue to provide support to the government and the people of Ukraine who are suffering as a result of this breach of international law and this brutal invasion by Vladimir Putin’s regime.
Vladimir Putin has made a strategic mistake because what his actions have done is unite the democratic world and provide a real determination to make sure that the resilience being shown by the Ukrainian people is backed up by resilience and support from democratic countries, including Nato, but also countries throughout the world.
Well, what we saw is prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we saw a without-limits partnership between Russia and China. We’ve seen a failure of China to condemn any of the Russian aggression that has occurred against Ukraine. China must look at what is happening and look at the resolve that is there from throughout the world and should be condemning Russia’s actions.
Continue reading...Expert says collective bargaining is a ‘minefield’ for employers and simplifying it should be a focus of the forum
More immigration, improved skills policy and simplifying collective bargaining have emerged as three top demands from employers for the new Labor government’s jobs summit.
Experts suggest the forum could also pave the way for reforms including wage theft legislation, which was dropped from the Coalition’s industrial relations bill, and action on union demands about insecure work.
The better off overall test so hypothetical patterns of work don’t prevent pay deals being approved;
The requirements for the FWC to be satisfied that genuine agreement has been reached;
The requirement for employers to explain the terms of a proposed pay deal to employees prior to the vote.
Continue reading...Prime minister says such a move would be ‘incredibly reckless’ but payments such as pensions are already tied to cost-of-living changes
Economists and advocacy groups have seized on the Morrison government’s objection to lifting minimum wages by the inflation rate, noting benefits such as pensions are tied to how consumer prices change.
Prime minister Scott Morrison blasted comments by Labor leader Anthony Albanese on Wednesday that he would “absolutely” support wages keeping pace with prices. That call was “incredibly reckless”, Morrison said, adding that wage increases of 5%-plus were “like throwing fuel on the fire of rising interest rates and rising costs of living”.
Continue reading...Australia’s minimum wage is shrinking compared to median pay, bucking global trends
The recent spurt in inflation has little do with workers being paid more, economists say, warning the claim that wage increases could set off inflation is “over-the-top alarmism”.
Debate over how much the lowest-paid workers should receive has flared during the election campaign after the ACTU this week raised its minimum wage claim to the Fair Work Commission to 5.5% from an earlier goal of 5%, after March-quarter consumer prices spiked.
Continue reading...Employers argue that excessive minimum pay increases will fuel inflation as unions call for ‘incredibly reasonable’ boost to meet cost-of-living pressures
Employers have warned against “unaffordable” wage increases after Anthony Albanese backed a 5.1% minimum wage rise to keep up with inflation.
Despite the warnings, the Australian Industry Group has raised its own submission to the Fair Work Commission from 2% to 2.5%, while the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has asked for low-paid workers to get a 3% rise.
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Continue reading...Tanya Plibersek says party would look at introducing superannnuation on paid parental leave ‘when we can afford to’
Labor will promise a new measure to close the gender pay gap and attack the government for promoting “the importance of low paid work” in the campaign’s final fortnight.
On Sunday the shadow minister for women, Tanya Plibersek, confirmed another policy push on gender pay inequity, while the shadow industrial relations minister, Tony Burke, signalled a plan to weaponise the Coalition’s submission to the minimum wage review.
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Continue reading...ACTU secretary Sally McManus says increase needed for low-paid workers to ‘keep their heads above water’
Australia’s lowest-paid workers should get a 5% pay rise – or $2,000 more a year, according to a submission from unions to the industrial umpire.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions has called for the minimum wage to increase from $20.33 an hour to $21.35, to boost the wages of 2.67m employees who rely on the annual wage review for a pay rise.
Continue reading...Soaring cost of living sees employees worse off as Covid hit supply chains and casualisation hindered bargaining power
Australia’s soaring cost of living is outstripping wage increases, leaving the average worker more than $800 worse off in 2021, the steepest cut in real terms for more than 20 years, according to Australian Council of Trade Unions president, Michele O’Neil.
The contraction in spending power happened during Covid supply chain shortages, while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has only propelled prices of fuel and food higher.
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Continue reading...By suggesting switching jobs can even out the power imbalance between employers and employees, Treasury hinted at an obvious solution
Treasury caused consternation in the labour movement on Tuesday by suggesting the best way to win a pay rise might be to switch jobs.
It looked to unions like an attempt to blame workers for their bosses’ failure to grant a pay rise.
Continue reading...Uproar comes as parliamentary inquiry into Australian franchise sector prepares final report
The cafe chain Muffin Break is facing a backlash from customers after its general manager said that entitled millennials weren’t willing to do unpaid work to get ahead.
Natalie Brennan told News Corp there was “nobody walking in my door asking for an internship, work experience or unpaid work”.
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