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Labour Market

economic-policy-labour

Labour markets tend to be among the most regulated markets in the economy. While these regulations were meant to protect workers, they are often counterproductive by putting obstacles in the way to job creation. Finding the right balance between these two goals remains a difficult task.

Publications

  1. TARGET30: Reducing the burden for future generations

    David Murray AO, Maurice Newman, Simon Cowan | 01 Jul 2013 | Policy Forum

    TARGET30 is a campaign promoting smaller government and cutting government spending to less than 30% of GDP in the next 10... Read More...

  2. Relics of a Byzantine IR System: Why Awards Should Be Abolished

    Alexander Philipatos | 23 May 2013 | Issue Analysis

    Awards are uniquely Australian, and practically as old as the country itself. But in Australia’s modern, competitive economy,... Read More...

  3. Australia and the Asian Ascendancy: Why Upskilling is Not Necessary to Reap the Rewards

    Benjamin Herscovitch | 19 Feb 2013 | Issue Analysis

    Government programs to upskill the Australian workforce for the Asian Century are a solution to a non-problem. With more... Read More...

  4. Back to the Bad Old Days? Industrial Relations Reform in Australia

    Alexander Philipatos | 06 Dec 2012 | Policy Monographs

    Has the Fair Work Act thrown industrial relations back to ‘the bad old days?’ This report analyses the changes in industrial... Read More...

  5. Overcoming a Culture of Low Expectations

    Jessica Brown | 28 Mar 2012 | Issue Analysis

    The most important thing we can do to encourage disadvantaged Australians into work – including people with disabilities,... Read More...

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Opinion & Commentary

  1. Should teenaged shop workers receive a pay rise?

    Alexander Philipatos | 12 Jul 2013 | The Drum

    A wages claim to pay young retail workers equally to adults may sound like a good idea, but it will be a hard sell.... Read More

  2. Union campaign emotive but misleading

    Alexander Philipatos | 21 Jun 2013 | ON LINE Opinion

    It is misleading to assert that Australian workers are being overworked in insecure jobs.... Read More

  3. Politics over policy in industrial relations

    Alexander Philipatos | 29 May 2013 | ON LINE Opinion

    Employers should be able to determine wages and conditions for new projects. It simply does not make sense that unions must ... Read More

  4. Awards don't deliver fair go

    Alexander Philipatos | 23 May 2013 | The Australian

    It is possible to increase labour market flexibility, create more jobs and keep the fair go alive by abolishing the outdated ... Read More

  5. Time to scrap the minimum wage?

    Alexander Philipatos | 28 Feb 2013 | Business Spectator

    To get the unemployed back into work, the government could allow businesses a six-month exemption from the minimum award ... Read More

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Ideas@TheCentre

  1. Why we should support car workers (find new jobs)

    Simon Cowan | 12 Jul 2013

    Government should support workers transition to competitive industries and abolish corporate welfare....

  2. Ignoring the writing on the wall

    Alexander Philipatos | 28 Jun 2013

    The ACTU is oblivious to the fact that wage cuts in the automotive industry are a necessary part of the drive to become competitive....

  3. What is driving income inequalities?

    Peter Saunders | 31 May 2013

    What is driving wider material inequalities?...

  4. Resurrecting the fossils of arbitration

    Alexander Philipatos | 31 May 2013

    Labor’s proposed amendment to allow arbitration in long-running industrial disputes would reintroduce elements of the ‘bad ...

  5. Time to abolish awards

    Alexander Philipatos | 24 May 2013

    Abolish the award system in favour of a single standard for all employees....

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