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Federal Elections
Following the 2015 Budget the Federal Government introduced new legislation to enact its “Jobs for Families Package”. Although there’s an injection of much needed funding into child care, it’s based on cuts to other family benefits. The ASU’s position has been that it takes more than one policy to help…
The ACTU Executive yesterday endorsed an agenda of tax reform priorities designed to tackle growing inequality and unfairness in our economic system and help create better, higher-paying jobs. The plan, Tax reform for a fairer society and strong economy, calls for action in five key areas of tax reform: reducing…
A new report released by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) today (7 March 2016) reveals that Australian women are financially disadvantaged at every key stage of their life: in childhood, at the workplace, through pregnancy, motherhood and as a carer, and in retirement. The ACTU’s Gender Pay Gap…
A not-so-taxing time for the rich
26 February 2016
The Australian tax system is tangled up in a web of subsidies, exemptions and arrangements that unfairly advantage the top 10 per cent of income earners, do nothing to drive innovation or productivity growth and hold us back from investing in nation-building. Capital gains tax exemptions, superannuation tax breaks, negative…
Anxiety the response when low paid workers think about retirement
22 February 2016
Last week the ASU appeared at the public hearings of the Senate inquiry into the economic security for women in retirement. This was a follow up to the submission we lodged last year. At the hearing we tried to draw a picture for the Senators that could capture the overriding…
Unions kick-off national campaign to protect Medicare
16 February 2016
The ACTU is launching a major campaign against the sell-off and cuts to Medicare, with a targeted broadcast and online advertising blitz, followed by a door knock in 22 marginal seats and community protests around the country. New polling released today shows the majority of Queenslanders and Victorians do not…
More broken promises from Turnbull Government: cuts to superannuation will leave us working longer
05 February 2016
The Australian Council of Trade Unions today raised deep concern about reports the Government is planning to take an axe to superannuation, leaving millions of Australians working well into their 70s. ACTU President Ged Kearney said the increase in superannuation to 12.5 per cent was always designed to ensure working…
The ASU supports Dave Oliver's call for a national, broad based, independent anti-corruption body. Singling out only trade unions, as numerous Coalition Governments have done over the years, has been a waste of time and money when the greatest incidence of corruption in Australian society has been elsewhere. The ASU…
Fair Work Commission wants to hear your views on penalty rates
02 February 2016
The Fair Work Commission (FWC) is currently deciding whether to cut or protect weekend penalty rates and they have opened up submissions from the public - the Commissioners want to hear from you! The ASU is encouraging all our supporters to raise your voices in defence of the weekend. >>…
Call for fair tax has cards stacked against it
28 January 2016
Ordinary people are just looking for a fair tax deal but when we read in the papers about bodies like "The Board of Taxation" which allegedly represents our "broader community perspective", as well as business, it just adds insult to injury. The Federal Government's little known tax advisory body is…
A rollercoaster is no place for a newborn - a brief history of the Coalition’s paid parental leave policy
15 January 2016
Research released this week showing low paid workers being affected by massive cuts to their take home Paid Parental Leave (PPL) has rightly angered many. The Coalition has treated this policy area disgracefully for years and this latest research has prompted us to revisit the rollercoaster ride we've been on…
Productivity Commission final report points loaded gun at workers
21 December 2015
Will Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reject the Productivity Commission's anti-worker recommendations or pull the trigger on this loaded gun? Merely a few days out from Christmas, with many already on holidays, the Productivity Commission has issued its final report into Australian workplaces. The report recommends, amongst other infringements on current…
Innovation high road must deliver for workers
08 December 2015
Unions welcome the Government's acknowledgement that Australia needs to focus on strategic investment in education, innovation and technologies as drivers of economic growth, following yesterday's innovation announcement. Australia must take the high-road and support quality, high skilled jobs and industries and not the low-road of cuts to jobs, wages and…
Governments at the Paris climate summit are putting the future of climate action at risk by removing a commitment to human rights and "Just Transition" to a low carbon future from the mandate for action in the Summit's conclusions. ASU supporters with Twitter acounts are asked to lobby the Australian…