ACCC to lead year-long Albanese government inquiry into the increasing cost of childcare
Next month’s budget will include $10.8 million to fund the inquiry, with government sources emphasising the probe would be very rigorous and operators would be put on the spot to explain high fees.
A new public holiday to honour Queen Elizabeth II is a mixed bag for small businesses facing penalty rates and contracts
While welcoming the ability to mourn the loss of Queen Elizabeth II, industry leaders fear for small businesses now unexpectedly balancing commitments to customers against the cost of penalty rate entitlements.
Small businesses brace for cost increases as fuel excise reduction nears its end
The Albanese government has decided to put an end to the six-month fuel excise reduction which will see the price of petrol go up by 25 cents a litre.
“It will change lives”: Seven major reforms announced at the Jobs and Skills Summit (so far)
The Albanese government's historic Jobs and Skills Summit is into its second and final day, and already big changes are afoot for the future of work in Australia.
Australia is struggling with a labour shortage. Here’s how New Zealand is tackling its own
While the country's official unemployment figure is at a record low, both employers and workers are wrestling with a variety of problems.
National Skills Week: TAFE gets $900 million as government looks to build VET sector
Minister for Skills and Training Brendan O’Connor says National Skills Week is an opportunity to recognise the value of the VET sector.
Peter Strong: The Jobs Summit issues paper suggests small business representation at the event will be token at best
"The upcoming Jobs and Skills Summit looks like it’s from the 1990s when small business was never a consideration," writes Peter Strong.
Peter Strong: Labor has made a good start, but it must never forget small business people
The small business community will be closely watching where this government moves on the economy and on removing the cumbersome complexity that bedevils workplace relations, writes Peter Strong.
Ahead of the RBA’s next cash rate decision today, economists predict further hikes — and no let-up until late 2023
The Reserve Bank of Australia is predicted to announce an interest rate rise of 0.25% to 0.5% today, which could take the cash rate to 1.85%.
Small business given six-month grace period for domestic violence leave
Australian small businesses will be given six months to adjust to a new federal government plan that will see 11 million workers gain access to paid domestic violence leave.
Pandemic leave payments restored until September 30 under Albanese government
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the decision after a national cabinet meeting, which had been brought forward from Monday to early Saturday to discuss the escalating COVID-19 wave.
“Many small retailers are not opening every day”: Business groups urge government to rethink axed COVID-19 isolation payment amid staff shortage
The Morrison government's Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment scheme, which provided $750-a-week lump sum payments to workers required to self-isolate after testing positive for COVID-19, expired on June 30.
