Two in three people in Australia are now employed either full-time or part-time, according to new data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).ABS found that trend employment increased by about 26,000 people last month compared with May, accounting for 15,000 more full-time workers and
Australian businesses are struggling to integrate long-lasting change for diversity and inclusion into their workplaces, a new report has revealed. The Change at Work report, released by the Diversity Council of Australia in collaboration with Google and Deloitte, found that three out of four change
Temporary skilled migrants have been an “overwhelming net positive” for the Australian economy, according to a new report, which also revealed immigration has not undercut job opportunities, conditions or wages for domestic workers.The report from the Committee for the Economic Development of Austra
About one million Australians will receive a cash boost of up to $804 a year, after the government announced cuts to official deeming rates, which is used to estimate how much a pensioner earns on their financial assets. More than 630,000 pensioners and nearly 350,000 receiving other income-tested p
The majority of workers in Australia are staying in the same job for at least one year, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), which also found underemployment rates have risen over the past decade.New ABS data, released on Monday, reveals eight out of every
The number of Australian children with full immunisation has reached a record level, with nearly 95 per cent vaccinated against deadly diseases, according to the latest figures from the Department of Health. New data from the March quarter indicates national immunisation rates for five-year-olds wer
Migrant businesses say they are struggling with new tax law changes that require those employing fewer than 20 staff to switch to a Single Touch Payroll (STP) system. Almost one quarter of so-called ‘micro-businesses’, which employ less than five staff, do not use any software at all. But the new ch
The Morrison government has introduced a reduced annual cap on migration of 160,000 over the next four years and initiatives to attract more international students to regional areas. The measures, which came into effect on Monday, involve incentives for overseas students to choose locations outside
The number of migrants granted Australian citizenship has risen by 88 per cent between 1 July 2018 and 31 May 2019 compared with the previous year, according to the Department of Home Affairs. The department’s latest figures indicate more than 132,000 citizenship by conferral (or ceremony) applicati
Sydney has officially declared a climate emergency, with the city’s councillors voting that climate change poses a serious risk to Sydneysiders and all Australians. Lord Mayor Clover Moore asked the council to call on the federal government to respond urgently to the emergency by reintroducing a pri
Australian property prices have dropped for the fifth consecutive quarter, with declines being recorded across all capital cities for the first time since 2012, according to new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Nationwide house prices fell 3.0 per cent this March quarter, while H
Education will receive $18.5 billion in the NSW budget for 2019-20, with the state government calling it a “record investment”. Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and NSW Education Minster Sarah Mitchell said on Monday that the funding is $1.2 billion more than the previous year
The NSW government has announced $355 million of next week’s state budget will go towards supporting farmers and businesses battling the drought in regional communities across the state. Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the drought relief package will fund crucial water and infrastructure projects to
The federal government has pledged $2.8 million to support a school-based program designed to encourage more young people to talk about mental health issues and seek help. The funding commitment will enable preventative mental health organisation batyr, launched in 2011 by a university student strug
Only four in 10 Australians aged 50 to 74 take the free bowel screening test, according to a new report that shows they also remain the group most at risk of the cancer. The latest research released by the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program reveals more than 4 million Australians received the a
The former operators of three sushi outlets in regional NSW have been fined more than $380,000 for underpaying workers, including several visa holders. The Fair Work Ombudsman took the previous owners of the Tokyo Sushi bars in Newcastle and the Central Coast to court after they found evidence that
NSW Health has issued another statement urging parents to get their children vaccinated against the flu as soon as possible, after the disease claimed 37 lives in New South Wales since January. The latest report shows the number of flu-related illnesses is increasing, with 1320 confirmed cases for t
Sydney’s new Northwest Metro train line, which runs from Rouse Hill to Chatswood, has been officially opened to the public – though not without a few hiccups.Tens of thousands of Sydneysiders turned up to ride the driverless trains on Sunday, resulting in massive crowds at stations and some lo
NSW has entered the flu season early, following weeks of “abnormally high” numbers of people catching the infection over the warmer months. NSW Health is advising Australians to get their influenza shot, after a drastic increase in flu cases from the end of April up to May 12 as well as a rise in pe
More than 5 million Australian households are now using the government-owned National Broadband Network (NBN), according to a recent Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) report, which also found nearly 60 per cent of those households have opted for higher speed services. The ACCC’s